VACATIONS FOR REAL PEOPLE JULY | AUGUST 2014
WI N !
CO STA R IC A $1 ,3 4 - N IG 00 HT TR IP p. 62
Vacations for Real People
Your
COOLEST SUMMER SUMMER! ON! The Grand GET YOUR
America’s Iconic Beach Retreats
Canyon (Like You’ve EUROPE’S Never Seen It!)
UNDISCOVERED VILLAGES
20 Insider’s New Orleans strip on t h e off the strip wn ou t of to
Ways to Game
Vegas Heartland’s Hippest Art Scene
America’s Ultimate Road, FASTER Trips, CHEAPER! NATIONAL PARKS PRIMER SMARTER BudgetTravel.com
W
hat could be better than this joy?
More of it. When you spend a few days at the Disneyland ® Resort, something magical happens. You laugh harder. Play more. And have the chance to really connect as a family. A multi-day ticket makes it all possible. To see more joyful moments at Disneyland® Resort, visit Disneyland.com/MainStreet today.
©Disney DLREVENTS-14-32921
Contents: July | August 2014
46
HEARTLAND’S HIPPEST ART SCENE
A tour through the Appalachian crafts country of Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina offers behind-the-easel glimpses of contemporary folk artists at work. By Valerie Rains
54
THE GRAND CANYON (LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT!)
To truly appreciate the canyon’s natural splendor, head straight to its beating heart—the chilly waters of the Colorado River. Photographs by Valerie Sauers
64
INSIDER’S NEW ORLEANS
The Crescent City is the birthplace of America’s finest musical tradition. We take you into the city’s hottest nightclubs for all that jazz! Photographs by Rush Jagoe BudgetTravel.com
P HO T O G R A P H B Y RU SH JAG O E
The Spotted Cat, New Orleans
#MontanaMoment | Bison crossing the Grand Prismatic Spring, Gateway to Yellowstone National Park “I was literally standing there with my mouth open in disbelief. It was completely unexpected and wonderful.�
BEATE DALBEC
VISITMT.COM
Contents: July/August 2014
34 The view from the Ginny Lee restaurant at Wagner Vineyards in New York’s Finger Lakes
New York’s Finger Lakes region is a foodie—and wine!—mecca
Trip Coach 28
Quirky Shake Tote ($90)
Essentials 13 GET COOL!
From Colonial Williamsburg to Costa Rica, from Ecuador to South Africa, we’ve got unbeatable deals for your best-ever summer!
Road Trip 41 ULTIMATE ALASKA
The Seward Highway makes it easy to fall hard for the 49th state’s mountains, lakes, and forests
37 HOW TO PAKC WITH STYLE
Our Emmy-nominated expert has packing advice for every travel personality
Navigating ➻ the App
74 MY TAKE
One reader’s top photo, plus an easy DIY tip
Swipe Horizontally to go to the next page Tap the screen to show the bottom bar. Swipe Horizontally to quickly navigate pages. Tap selected page to view.
13 Aerial view of Camps Bay, near Cape Town, South Africa
28 BEACH GEAR
How to be the most colorful—and stylish— one on the sand
30 BT INVESTIGATES
Airlines’ Dirtiest Secrets: How safe is the water, food, and air up there?
C OV E R : VA L E R I E S AU E R S
Budget Travel Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 4. Budget Travel is published bimonthly and is available on multiple digital platforms. Readers may purchase either a single issue or a subscription via Apple App Store, Nook, Kindle, and Google Play. Budget Travel is published by Budget Travel, LLC, 469 7th Ave., 7th floor, New York, NY 10018.
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F R OM T O P : BAT E S P HO T O G R A P H Y; C O U RT E SY Q U I R K Y; M A R IA F E K L I S T OVA / D R E A M ST I M E
34 TASTEMAKERS
What’s your favorite hidden gem? The Saranac Chain of Lakes in New York’s Adirondack Mountains— hop in a canoe and explore all day!
I love the Burger Joint, a tiny greasy spoon hidden behind a hard-to-locate velvet curtain in the lobby of New York’s elegant Parker Meridien hotel. For $6.50, you get a killer burger that’s easily one of the best in town.
Elaine Alimonti
PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER
Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR
Tissa’s Le Souk du Maroc in the former Miss James’ Pharmacy in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Tissa is a fantastic cook and the ice-cream is heavenly.
Robert Firpo-Cappiello Katharine Van Itallie
Photo Amy Lundeen
PHOTO DIRECTOR PHOTO EDITOR
Not so much hidden, but indeed a roadside gem: Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas.
Whitney Tressel
Digital DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER
Custer State Park, in South Dakota, where you can actually get stuck in a traffic jam because a herd of buffalo decided to cross the road! The scenery is amazing out there, too.
DIGITAL EDITOR
Ruthie Kaposi
Kaeli Conforti
LEAD DEVELOPER
Chad Harter
FRONT-END DEVELOPER
Willy Wu
The Apostle Islands in Northern Wisconsin—kayaking, cliff jumping, and sea caves.
CONTRIBUTORS
Nicholas DeRenzo, Sophie-Claire Hoeller, Rush Jagoe, Valerie Rains, Valerie Sauers
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Marie Wolpert marie.wolpert@budgettravel.com Maureen Kelley Stewart maureen.kelley.stewart@budgettravel.com DIGITAL SALES PLANNING MANAGER Michelle Craig michelle.craig@budgettravel.com NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR
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The white, sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama.
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North Shore, Island of Oahu.
Cathy Allendorf cathy.allendorf@budgettravel.com SOUTHWEST
Jo Neese jo.neese@budgettravel.com Julie Lee julie.lee@budgettravel.com
NEESE & LEE MEDIA
The ride along the Blue Star Highway between South Haven and Saugatuck, Michigan, directly adjacent to Lake Michigan in Southwestern Michigan is truly a surprising, little-known American gem! The view driving down Highway 1 through Carmel and Big Sur. It’s so amazingly beautiful!
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Alice Alston House, Staten Island, NYC.
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Marketing The hike up Koko Head Crater on the island of Oahu. The views from the peak are breathtaking—and so is the hike!
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6 Budget Travel July | August 2014
For authentic gelato and REAL Italian hot chocolate, I go to Grom. Ever since I first tasted Grom’s gelato in Florence, I became obsessed. The only two locations in the U.S. are in NYC (Columbus Circle and Greenwich Village).
SHIPS THAT WERE BUILT AROUND YOU. More space. Bigger views. More comfort. Our innovative Suite Ships速 deliver more of everything to you.
Contact your professional travel agent, call 877-797-8797 or visit AvalonWaterways.com
SAVE $1,000 PER COUPLE ON 2015 BOOK NOW SAILINGS* *Book a select 2015 Avalon Waterways Europe vacation to receive $500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. For A Taste of the Danube (WBV) the promotion applies only to the land inclusive price. Offer available on select dates of select cruises. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between May 7 and August 26, 2014 for travel at select times in 2015. Avalon and Royal Suites excluded. Not applicable to custom tours. Discount will apply to individual members of groups adding a name and non-refundable per person deposit WITHIN the promo window. Not applicable on TBA space. Not combinable with any other offer, other than Journeys Club Repeat Traveler benefit. Applies to new 2015 bookings only, and offer will not be applied to Month 2010 Budget Travel 7 pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
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Part of the adventure is what you see on the way to your destination! Show us your journey on the road! Follow @budgettravel on Instagram. Post your pic of a place (in Europe or not) that has that European charm! #BTeurocharm by August 1 for a chance to have your photo appear in BT’s tablet edition, website and social media platforms.
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Budget Travel Ultimate Road Trips is an easy, hit-the-road guide to more than 75 Great American Drives. From warm beaches to winding country roads, from mountain lakes to big-city style , we give you travel-ready GPS maps and the best places to eat, see, and stay along the way! Download the app for free at the App Store or Google Play!
8 Budget Travel July | August 2014
What’s the Great American Drive?
Driving to Key West is pretty cool! We stopped at Everglades National Park before we headed out into the keys. There are great stops along the way in Key Largo and Islamorada, with Key West as a fun and funky final destination. —Jodi Foxx Forty-nine states in seven months. Did that last year (doesn’t include Hawaii because you can’t drive to it!). Over 30,000 miles, and almost all the national parks! —Jessaline Tuason We traveled up the Continental Divide from Santa Fe to Glacier National Park in Montana. We paid visits along the way to Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. It was a magical introduction to the West for my wife who hadn’t been west of the Mississippi. —Douglas Banks
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Pin BT’s Pix on Pinterest!
Welcome to San Francisco. Now’s the time... Day or night. Sunrise or sunset. Morning coffee or happy hour. There’s always something to do in San Francisco no matter when. Draped across 40-some hills the City by the Bay is one of the few places in the world that doesn’t let time stand still. And all that famous scenery is matched by equally famous shopping, dining, arts and culture. Now’s the time to make every hour count in San Francisco. Get started at www.sanfrancisco.travel.
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@budgettravel: Reader Photos
Instagram Winners! Congratulations to the top picks from our #BTontheroad Instagram contest!
@peghaz in Holbrook, AZ
@lunaevy1 in Ecuador
@trabkabob in Oaxaca, Mexico
@jeannie689 in China
@eyesthrugermosen in Montego Bay, Jamaica
@etrucks in Valle de la Luna, Chile
@melodyinfocus in Paris
@coffegirlhere in Ashburn, GA
@colorfultimes in Chicago, IL
10 Budget Travel July | August 2014
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Bald eagles soaring between rugged peaks. Meadows of wildflowers dancing in the wind. And sunrises that paint the sky like a canvas. This is a world where wonderful things happen. We just have to be there when they do. Get the guide at Colorado.com
GET COOL!
MUST-HAVE BEACH GEAR ● AIRLINES’ DIRTIEST SECRETS ●TASTEMAKERS: FINGER LAKES
Essentials go!
OLGA TOP P/ DR E AM STI M E
get
COOL!
Extreme surfing in huge waves at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
The ultimate summer vacation is waiting out there— From Colonial Williamsburg to Hawaii, and all the way to Africa, we’ve got unbeatable steals you can actually afford. By Kaeli Conforti July | August 2014 Budget Travel 13
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Essentials: Real Deals
The Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg. Below: Colonial shopkeeper
Colonial Williamsburg 3 NIGHTS, FROM $477 (PER FAMILY) Enjoy some family fun—and a little dose of education—with this summertime vacation package to Colonial Williamsburg where kids 12 and under stay, play, and eat for free.
14 Budget Travel July | August 2014
F ROM TOP : DRE A M STI M E , PAU L H A K I M ATA ; K E NN ES D1
The Real Deal You’ll get three nights’ accommodations at the Williamsburg Woodlands or Williamsburg Lodge for a family of four; kids can enjoy complimentary breakfast at the hotel and dinner from the children’s menu at Traditions, Huzzah!, or a Colonial Williamsburg historic tavern, as well as free golf at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club, free tennis at the Williamsburg Inn Tennis Club, and complimentary tickets to Revolutionary City, participating art museums, and RevQuest: The Old Enemy, an interactive history-inspired game. Complimentary shuttle service to and from Revolutionary City is also included. When Deal is valid now thru August 28. The Fine Print Package price is based on starting prices of $159 per family per night, based on a family of four. You must book a stay of at least three nights to receive the special rate. Contact Colonial Williamsburg, 888/965-7254, colonialwilliamsburg.com.
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PH OTO CRE D I T TK
Month 2010 Budget Travel 15
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Essentials: Real Deals
Costa Rica AIR, TOURS, 8 NIGHTS, FROM $1,499 This travel deal gives you time to explore four areas of Costa Rica— San José, Tortuguero, Arenal, and Monteverde—and takes care of all the driving so you don’t have to.
F RO M TO P: H U GO H T/ DR EA M STI M E ; W HI TN E Y TRE SSE L
The Real Deal This package gives you airfare from Miami to San Jose; eight nights in four different areas of Costa Rica, including San José, the turtle-packed beaches of Tortuguero, the volcanic landscapes of Arenal, and the cloud forests of Monteverde; all transfers and transportation between cities in air-conditioned chauffeur-driven mini-vans; an extensive sightseeing program including entrance fees and the services of a bilingual naturalist guide while visiting Tortuguero National Park; most meals including daily breakfast, three lunches, and two dinners; from $1,499 per person including all taxes and fees. When Select dates August 2014 thru April 2015; based on availability. The Fine Print Book this deal by Aug. 26, 2014. Based on double occupancy. Costa Rica departure tax of $29 per person is not included in the package price. Contact Friendly Planet Travel, 800/555-5765, friendlyplanet.com.
Horseback riding in San Luis, Costa Rica, near Monteverde Cloud Forest. Above: The beautiful La Fortuna waterfall in Arenal National Park
16 Budget Trave July | August 2014
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Yellowstone National Park
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Essentials: Real Deals
Great Wolf Lodge WATERPARK PASSES, FROM $199 A NIGHT
The Real Deal This family-friendly resort with locations in Charlotte, NC; Cincinatti, OH; Grand Mound, WA; Grapevine, TX; Kansas City, KS; Boston/New England; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Pocono Mountains, PA; Sandusky, OH; Traverse City, MI; Williamsburg, VA; and Wisconsin Dells, WI., is offering rates from $199 a night when you book a stay of three or more nights now thru August 28. Along with the special rate (which reflects a 20 percent discount), you’ll also get four waterpark passes and access to kid-friendly activities like pajama story time, a Wolf Walk nature hike, musical shows by the Great Clock Tower, and special programs like the Cub Club for young arts and crafts lovers. When Deal is valid thru August 28. The Fine Print Use promo code TRIPLEFUN when booking this deal online. Contact Great Wolf Lodge, visit greatwolf. com and select a resort near you. From top: The Flowrider at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA; Fort Mackenzie is the centerpiece of all 12 Great Wolf Lodge waterparks, with interactive spray stations, kiddie waterslides, and signature tipping bucket
18 Budget TravelJuly | August 2014
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COU RT ESY GR EAT WOL F RE S ORTS ( 2)
The ultimate family vacation can be yours this summer thanks to a new travel package by Great Wolf Lodge that includes four waterpark passes and suite accommodations..
Month 2010 Budget Travel 19
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Essentials: Real Deals
Norwegian Cruise Lines, Hawaii You’ll spend two nights along legendary Waikiki Beach before setting sail on a seven-day cruise around the Hawaiian Islands onboard Norwegian’s Pride of America. The Real Deal This trip includes airfare from select cities throughout the West (additional gateways from $150 more); two nights’ accommodations in an ocean-view room at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa; transfers and a Hawaiian lei greeting; a seven-day cruise onboard Norwegian’s Pride of America—with stops in Maui, Kauai, and Hilo and Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island—and perks like chocolate-covered strawberries and 20 complimentary photos per stateroom; from $1,999 per person including all taxes and fees. When No deadline; based on availability. The Fine Print Based on double occupancy. Contact This package can be booked through your travel agent (mention Norwegian’s Hawaii Bundle) or by calling the NCL reservations line at 888/NCL-CRUISE and mentioning promo code BUNDLE, ncl.com. Clockwise from top left: A stateroom on Norwegian’s Pride of America; an iconic Hawaiian vista near the Halona Blowhole; surfing on Oahu’s North Shore; shave ice, a Hawaiian staple
20 Budget Travel July | August 2014
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CLOCKWI SE F RO M TOP L EF T: COU RTE SY N CL ; W H I TN E Y TR ESSE L (3)
AIR, HOTEL, CRUISE, 8 NIGHTS, FROM $1,999
March | April 2014 Budget Travel 21
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Essentials: Real Deals
U.S. Virgin Islands Book five or more nights at any of the 26 participating hotels and get your first night free—plus a $200 instant credit and $300 in certificates for local shops and attractions.
Clockwise from top left: A trail ride on St. Croix; detail of a skull mural in St. Thomas; lovely Trunk Bay
22 Budget Travel July | August 2014
The Real Deal If you’re looking for a beautiful beach vacation, now is the perfect time to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thanks to this summer special, you can save big on a stay of five or more consecutive nights at any of the 26 participating hotels in St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas including The Buccaneer Hotel, The Palms at Pelican Cove, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, and Tamarind Reef Resort, among others. And the savings don’t stop there—you’ll get your first night free, and score a $200 instant credit as well as $300 in certificates that you can use towards meals at participating local restaurants, attractions, and on special treats like spa treatments and shopping. When Book now thru July 31 for travel thru Sept. 30 to take advantage of special prices. The Fine Print This No passports are required for U.S. citizens, so no excuses! Book this deal by July 31. Contact Visit the website visitusvi.com/usvinice for more details and options.
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CLOC KW I SE FR OM TOP L E FT: DR EA M STI M E , L IN DA M ORL A N D ; T RAV ELDOLL; JOHN WOLLW ERTH
FIRST NIGHT FREE PLUS PERKS
BEST WESTERN®
BEST WESTERN PLUS®
BEST WESTERN PREMIER®
Save Up To 20% On Every Kind Of Stay.* Whether you’re looking for a clean & comfortable BEST WESTERN® hotel, a stylish & upgraded BEST WESTERN PLUS® or a surprisingly upscale BEST WESTERN PREMIER®, you can save up to 20% by booking the Internet-Only rate at bestwestern.com. With breakfast and free high-speed Internet access available at every North American property, you can stretch your travel dollar even further. Also, you’ll earn valuable Best Western Rewards points for every stay.
bestwestern.com | 1-800-WESTERN *Restrictions apply. Visit bestwestern.com for complete promotion details. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Best Western and the Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2014 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved.
May | June 2014 Budget Travel 24
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Essentials: Real Deals A view of Ecuador’s Cotopaxi Volcano
Ecuador AIR, TOURS, 7 NIGHTS, FROM $1,399 Get to know Ecuador’s fascinating history and vibrant culture with this travel deal that gives you time to explore Quito and the Amazon rainforest..
24 Budget Travel July | August 2014
KR I STOFB E L L EN S / D RE A M ST I M E
The Real Deal This package gives you airfare from Miami to Quito; two nights’ accommodations in Quito (your first and last nights); one night in Otavalo; one night in Papallacta; two nights at a lodge in the heart of the Amazon rainforest at Punta Ahuano; one night in Patate; all transfers and ground transportation within the country; 15 meals; an extensive sightseeing program including entrance fees and the services of English-speaking guides throughout; a guided city tour of Quito with stops in the historic Old Town and the Equatorial Monument among other popular sites; and guided trips to the Otavalo Market, Rio Verde Falls, and Cotopaxi National Park; from $1,399 per person including all taxes and fees. When Select dates August thru December; based on availability. The Fine Print Package Book this deal by Aug. 26, 2014. Based on double occupancy. Ecuador departure tax of $45 per person is not included in the package price. Contact Friendly Planet Travel, 800/555-5765, friendlyplanet.com.
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Experience the original social network. There isn’t an app for this: each year, Intrepid offers 1,000 remarkable small group adventures, in over 100 countries worldwide. Grassroots travel, local guides and plenty of “me” time. So here’s to more LOLs. The real kind.
intrepidtravel.com 800 970 7299
March | April 2014 Budget Travel 25
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Essentials: Real Deals
South Africa AIR, SAFARI, TOURS, 6 NIGHTS, FROM $2,099 It’s time to take that African safari trip you’ve been dreaming about. This travel package gives you time to explore Cape Town and includes four safari game drives.
FR OM TOP : D RE A M STI M E, E , ST STEV E VE E S E ROW ROWKA KA ; M A RI A F FE E KL I STOVA
The Real Deal Yes, you can afford a safari! This spectacular vacation package includes flights from New York City to Cape Town, with a return flight from Johannesburg, on South African Airways; a guided tour of Cape Town, with an escorted cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain; four guided safari game drives at the Entabeni Safari Conservancy; six nights’ accommodations; all transfers and transportation within the country; 10 meals, and the services of an English-speaking guide throughout; from $2,099 per person including all taxes and fees. When Select dates in September thru December, 2014; based on availability. The Fine Print Book this deal by Aug. 26, 2014. Based on double occupancy. Contact Friendly Planet Travel, 800/555-5765, friendlyplanet.com.
Aerial view of Camps Bay near Cape Town with Table Mountain in the distance. Above: Cable car at Table Mountain
26 Budget Travel July | August 2014
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MAKE YOUR OWN PATH Denver’s Sensational Summer has something for everyone. Hike the scenic trails of the famous Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, or take a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. Explore historic Larimer Square and dine at one of the many chef-owned restaurants. See the city by B-cycle or pedicab, and don’t miss blockbuster exhibitions like Chihuly at Denver Botanic Gardens and Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Plan now at VISITDENVER.COM
OR LET THE LOCALS GUIDE YOU
March | April 2014 Budget Travel 27
O
Essentials: Beach Gear
Bright Ideas
Because texting friends “I’m sort of left of the Speedo guy with the blue blanket” never works, we’ve rounded up the loudest, most colorful gear out there. You'll be the center of attention—and the envy of the beach. By Sophie-Claire Hoeller
FLIPSIDEZ SAND IMPRINT FLIP-FLOPS Your better half should know what you want without your having to say it… But in case they need a reminder, these customizable flip-flops will get any message across. flipsidez.com, $19.95
SUNNY LIFE BEACH PADDLES Even the laziest beach bum will want to give a round of paddleball a go when they see these colorful paddles with comfy neoprene handles. sunnylife.com.au, $27
FLIGHT 001 F1 GO CLEAN POUCHES Don’t miss a second of sunshine—go straight from the beach to the airport by stashing wet gear in these colorful and appropriately labeled nylon pouches. They keep smells and sogginess under wraps, and items separated by dividers. flight001.com, from $18
BIOLITE CAMPSTOVE GRILL AND WOOD BURNING CAMPSTOVE We can't say enough good things about this eco-friendly foldable grill! Want a surefire way to make everyone on your beach blanket happy? Load this baby up with beef. There's no need for smelly petroleum or charcoal—you can use dry driftwood! biolitestove.com, $59.96 and $129.95
28 Budget Travel July | August 2014
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O BOOM SWIMMER Bigger isn’t always better, and this sporty little speaker packs a punch. Listen to your favorite summer tunes on repeat with this Bluetooth-enabled, waterproof boomer, which easily connects to any smartphone. Plus, the fun, flexible tail attaches to pretty much anything. boommovement.com, $59.99
ROXY SUNRISE BLANKET This bright blanket is big enough for two—should you feel like sharing—and made of soft cotton thick enough to keep you from getting wet or sandy. Even better, it comes with roll-up straps for super-easy transportation. roxy.com, $46
RAY-BAN WAYFARER FOLDING FLASH LENSES
QUIRKY SHAKE TOTE The worst part about the beach? The sand seems to follow you everywhere. The innovative Shake Tote, however, is a nifty—and chic— solution: Open the flap that conceals netting at the bottom of the bag to shake out every last bit of beach. quirky.com, $90
Universally flattering and proven to make pretty much anyone look at least 27 percent hotter, Wayfarers are classics for a reason. Get a modern update on the icon with these incredibly practical, super-functional, and stylin’ foldable specs. Plus, polarization makes for subtle peeping. ray-ban.com, $175
JuicyBeauty Sport SPF30 Sunscreen Certified organic, this water-resistant, chemical-free cream blends organic coconut, jojoba, and soothing aloe with antioxidants and vitamins, creating a quick-absorbing, delicious sunscreen that you’ll be happy to keep slathering on. juicebeauty.com, $16
July | August 2014 Budget Travel 29
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Essentials: BT Investigates
Airlines’ Dirtiest Secrets
I
recently did a fun segment on morning television here in New York. Lately there’s been a lot of idle speculation in the blogosphere about the cleanliness of airplanes, the flightworthiness of the equipment, and the abilities of the crew. We regularly interview pilots, flight attendants, and other travel professionals— sometimes on condition of anonymity— to debunk the junk and deliver the truth. That said, the truth sometimes hurts. Inspired by my hosts at PIX 11 Morning
30 Budget Travel July | August 2014
News, I’m rating them on a “scary scale” of 1 to 5. Got more questions of your own? Email us at info@budgettravel.com! ARE PETS STORED IN AN UNHEATED, UNPRESSURIZED HOLD?
I hate to get all Mr. Scott about this, but this legend absolutely defies the laws of physics: At 30,000 feet, that would mean temperatures below zero and not enough oxygen. The truth is, pets are kept warm and safe in the hold. However, airline travel
can be harrowing for pets—the runway is so noisy during loading and unloading that the workers wear headphones. No such luck for Fido and Fluffy. Oh, and flying with a little dog in your lap—or asking repeatedly about the safety of your pet in the hold—really irritates overworked, underpaid flight attendants. If you’re a pet lover (or even just a decent human being), that rates a 5 on the “scary scale.” But before you consider sedating your pet—the way you might take, say, an Ambien before
B RI A N F I N K E/G AL L E RY STOC K
We know the questions that pop into your head when you fly: Is the cabin air full of germs? Is the water safe to drink? How are pets treated in the hold? There’s a LOT of misinformation out there, and we’re cutting through the clutter to deliver the good, the bad—and the downright gross By Robert Firpo-Cappiello
Add a little salt air to your vacation plans at VisitVirginiaBeach.com
takeoff—get your vet’s best advice for dealing with airplane travel!
getting paid by the hour? That said, I’ve never had a bad experience due to pilot error, and we travelers often completely misjudge pilot actions—bumpy landings, for instance, are no indication of a pilot’s experience or competence, they just happen. But how would you rate the issue of pilots’ experience on a “scary scale”? 4 or 5.
AIRPLANE DRINKING WATER MUST BE SAFE, RIGHT? RIGHT??
DO AIRPLANES JETTISON THEIR TOILET WASTE INTO THE AIR?
Who started this weird myth, a fourth grade boy? No, airplanes do NOT jettison toilet contents in midair! Ever, ever, ever. Well... at least not intentionally. A California man once had a chunk of frozen airplane waste (which, by the way, was blue because of the chemical with which airplane waste is treated) bust through his sailboat. On a “scary scale” of 1 to 5, I’ve got to give the sailboat guy a 5! WHAT’S WITH THE MOOD LIGHTING?
Why do the plane lights dim before landing? Dim lighting prepares your eyes for seeing outside in the event of an emergency evacuation. (Similarly, you are asked to open your window shades before landing so the crew can see outside in the event of an accident.) On a “scary scale” of 1 to 5, I’m gonna give this a 1 because, once you understand the reason for it, it seems kind of comforting (am I the only one?). CAN STRANGERS UNLOCK THE LAVATORY FROM THE OUTSIDE?
Yep! Toddler, grandparent, or spouse locked in the bathroom? Relax—right behind the no smoking sign on the door there’s usually a little switch to unlock the door! On a “scary scale” of 1 to 5: If I have a toddler and I’m standing at the door, that gets a 0. If I’m flying alone and a total stranger decides to pay me a little surprise visit, 4. (And while we’re on the subject of
32 Budget Travel July | August 2014
PILLOWS, BLANKETS, AND HEADPHONES ARE CHANGED AFTER EVERY FLIGHT, RIGHT?
How do you rate these dirty secrets on a “scary scale” of 1 to 5? airplane lavatories, do not walk in there in your socks or bare feet. You don’t even want to know what’s on that floor!) CABIN AIR MAKES ME SICK, RIGHT?
Cue Aerosmith and dream on. Flight crews are busy, budgets are tight, and you’ve probably witnessed the onboard scramble that occurs between flights. If your blanket is neatly folded and your headphones are in a plastic bag, congrats! That’s about the best you can hope for these days. On our “scary scale,” I give that a 3 or 4.
Wrong! Airplane cabin air is filtered and often tests cleaner than hospital air. However, just about everything else onboard should be considered a milehigh petri dish. In fact, your tray table may have been used to change a baby. Yeah, that’s right. E coli bacteria are regularly found on airplane tray tables. What can you do about that? Travel with sanitizing wipes to clean off surfaces you or your loved ones may touch during the flight, and to clean your hands. On a “scary scale,” the cabin air gets a 0 and the tray table gets, uh, number 2? (Sorry!)
ARE PILOTS AND COPILOTS REALLY SERVED SEPARATE MEALS IN CASE OF POISONING?
HOW CAN I BE SURE MY PILOT KNOWS WHAT HE OR SHE IS DOING?
IS IT TRUE THAT OXYGEN MASKS HAVE ONLY A FEW MINUTES OF AIR IN THEM?
How experienced is your pilot? And how worried should you be about that? You may be flying one of the big carriers in name, but here in the U.S. you may actually be in the hands of a subcontracted regional airline crew. Oh, and your pilot may make less in a year than a cab driver. Regional airlines have grown so fast in recent decades that requirements for pilot training went down to accommodate demand. If you were having, say, brain surgery, would you want the doc with more operations under his belt or the guy
This is a really good idea, of course, and I wish I could tell you that it’s strictly enforced. But the reality is that the crew eats whatever they want whenever they can get it. (Some bring their own food, others eat what’s served out of the galley.) On some flights, the pilot and copilot will indeed be served separate meals. On others, not so much. On a “scary scale,” considering that I’ve seen few, if any, accounts of poisoned pilots wreaking havoc in the skies, I give it a 2.
Yes. But it’s not as bad as it sounds. Airplanes are pressurized mostly because the air at 30,000 feet does not hold enough oxygen. In the very rare event of depressurization, the oxygen masks descend and, though it may be frightening, passengers use them for a few minutes while the pilot quickly gets the plane down to around 10,000 feet, where oxygen levels are comparable to a mountain summit. On our “scary scale,” this makes me feel a little safer and I give it a 1.
S E RGE H ORTA / DR EA M STI M E
Sorry, maybe not! Tests show that airplane water is sometimes full of bacteria that could sicken you, and this has been confirmed in tests by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Wall Street Journal. That goes for onboard coffee and tea as well. Water is better than it used to be thanks to airline-mandated tests, but the EPA still warns people with at-risk immune systems (including children and adults over 50) to avoid airplane water. “Scary scale”? 5!
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Essentials: BT Investigates
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Essentials: Tastemakers
Taste of the Lakes
The Finger Lakes region, in Upstate New York, isn’t just a fun, affordable family vacation destination. It is also a serious hub for creative cooking and world-class wineries. By Paige Wright It’s no secret to Budget Travel readers that New York’s Finger Lakes region is a foodie mecca. After all, we’ve recently celebrated three Upstate towns— Hammonsport, Watkins Glen, and Cazenovia—as some of America’s Coolest Small Towns. Summer is the perfect time to escape the urban swelter and drop in on some of the festivals, wineries, and restaurants that make this beautiful destination so cool—and delicious! Moosewood restaurant, in Ithaca, helped start a food movement when it opened more than 40 years ago.
34 Budget Travel July | August 2014
Collectively owned by 19 members, most of whom have bee with the place at least 20 years, Moosewood specializes in healthful, natural cuisine. Menu items change daily, depending on what’s local, fresh, and in season, and focus on fresh veggies, grains, and fish. And if you have any doubt as to Ithaca’s “fresh” cred, spend an afternoon browsing and taste-testing the city’s vibrant Farmers Market. Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard was founded by a German winemaker in the 1960s and specializes in the Finger Lakes’ most popular wine, Riesling. The wine’s dry, citrusy brightness pairs beautifully with the light, summery fare served lakeside this time of year,
and the vineyard is a destination unto itself for tours and tastings. Wagner Winery produces not only excellent Rieslings but also its own line of India Pale Ale, and it operates a celebrated restaurant, Ginny Lee, on the winery grounds on Seneca Lake. Glorious Garlic Festival, the first weekend in August, will be held at Fox Run Vineyards, on the shores of Seneca Lake. You should arrive prepared to taste creatively prepared foods and sip world-class wine—and to carry the aroma home with you. Finger Lakes Wine Festival will be hosted by Watkins Glen on July 11, 12, and 13 this year—your chance to taste to your heart’s content.
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Clockwise from top left: Autumn Salad at Moosewood; the restaurant’s outdoor patio; a vineyard view across Keuka Lake; the tank room at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard; garlic braids are just one of the items you’ll find at the Glorious Garlic Festival; the view from the deck of the Ginny Lee at Wagner Vineyards. Inset below: Cherry tomatoes at Ithaca’s Farmers Market
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Our Editors answer your top questions from BudgetTravel.com
Trip Coach
Pack with ! e l y t S
V L A DI M I R N I KU L IN / DR EA M STI M E
From knowing your best colors to choosing tasteful jewelry—not to mention getting it all in one bag without wrinkling everything!—our expert packer (and Emmy-winning stylist) shows you how to do it right. By Kaeli Conforti
July | August 2014 Budget Travel 37
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Trip Coach: Packing 101
J
to create a flat base, then use the cardboard backing of a notepad to fold fancy collared shirts and sweaters around, similar to the way they’re wrapped in the store. If you still have wrinkles when you get to your destination, dampen shirts and hang them in the shower so the steam can work on them for a while.
KNOW YOUR COLOR Packing pieces that all
ABOVE ALL, THINK OF THE VACATION PHOTOS
coordinate together is one way to cut down on the number of items you need. The key is to pick one color scheme to build your vacation wardrobe around. Zyla’s advice for finding your perfect color is to consider a strategic combination of neutral, energy, and dramatic colors based on your skin tone, hair color, and eye color. The neutral color depends on the color of your iris (use this for your jacket, pants, skirt, bag, and shoes). Next, focus on finding your energy color, a comfortable color you usually enjoy wearing like sky blue, topaz, or pine green that can be worn as a shirt or sweater, or with accessories like scarves or gloves. Then, find your dramatic color, the one that offers the most contrast to your skin tone, hair and eye color. Zyla says to look at the coloring of the prominent veins in your wrist, which can be anywhere from emerald green to aqua or royal blue. Think of this as your “kaboom color” that will be super-energetic and make your outfit really stand out from the rest. KEEP IT SIMPLE
As far as jewelry, think about which tone (gold, silver, or bronze) you always get the most compliments on when wearing jewelry and go with that-sticking to one shade will stop you from packing the whole jewelry box when you really only need a few pieces. For shoes, wear your casual flats on the plane—they’re comfortable and easy to slip on and off in security lines—and pack your heels for special events and a second shoe to get you through the day if you need them. According to Zyla, you only need three pairs of shoes tops to get through a five-day trip. AVOID WRINKLES
It doesn’t matter how well coordinated you are if your clothes are a mess. Zyla offered tips for packing your clothing to avoid wrinkles: fill in sections between and around the bars of your suitcase with underwear and socks
38 Budget Travel July | August 2014
Chances are you will be posing in front of iconic monuments and breathtaking views in photos you will look at for years (and post on Facebook). Zyla says to avoid an “I can’t believe I actually wore that!” moment by packing the clothes you find most flattering. As you pack, lay out each outfit on the bed and visualize yourself wearing it. Break down each day into scenes—we’re going to the pool, then changing into a nice outfit for dinner—to help determine how many clothing items to bring along. Keep in mind you can always shop once you get there as well (though remember to leave room in your bag for new purchases). Still don’t think you can fit it all in just a carry-on? Zyla says it’s a good idea to pack at least an extra blouse or sweater you can change into, extra undergarments, and items like deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, makeup, and other toiletries that will allow you to freshen up in case you get separated from your perfectly packed suitcase.
WHAT’S YOUR TRAVEL STYLE? From ready-for-mycloseup to roll-outof-bed, there are five kinds of packers— which one are you?
FASHIONISTA
You know the difference between this year’s pink and last year’s pink. And that sweet advice about bringing only three pairs of shoes? LOL.
CASUAL CHIC
Colorful tops, solid slacks, feel-good/ look-good shoes, and an LBD (because you never know).
VERSATILE
Layers, layers, layers! Sure, it’s not an original look, but a cute jacket, comfy sweater, bright T-shirt, and jeans mean you’re ready for anything.
MOMMY/DADDY
See “Versatile,” above, but pack with the understanding that your little one’s snack, juice, drool, spitup, and more will ultimately “complete” your ensemble.
YES, I SLEPT IN THESE PANTS
C’mon, fess up! Looooong day, fall into bed, wake up with juuuuust enough time to make that a.m. train to Barcelona… —Paige Wright
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ust bringing a carry-on is one way to avoid baggage fees, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still look fashionable on vacation. We turned to David Zyla, an Emmy Award-winning stylist and author of The Color of Style, to find out the most efficient way to fill your carry-on with great outfits you’ll actually enjoy wearing.
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DESTINATION
ALASKA’S SEWARD HIGHWAY
Road Trip ID E A L S E A
SU M M E R
SON:
M IL E A G E : 12 7 D AY S : 1, 2, H IG H L IG H
OR MORE
T: C H U G A C H
STATE PA RK
Northern Sights! JE RRYWAY/ DR EA M STI M E
ALASKA’S SEWARD HIGHWAY IS WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS THE MOUNTAINS, WHALES MEET WOLVES, AND YOU MEET AMERICA’S ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP. By Robert Firpo-Cappiello
One of the stunning views along the Seward Highway
S
ure, Alaska is huge—and includes an eye-popping array of climates and landscapes. But thanks to a stretch of highway that covers a mere 127 miles, you can enjoy much of what the 49th state has to offer in a day trip, a few day’s drive, or a very manageable week away. Start out in Anchorage
with its gorgeos views of Cook Inlet and Denali, then head south along the Seward Highway through Chugach State Park, stopping in the towns of Girdwood and Whittier, and then bed down in Seward itself, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. The summer days are long, the berries are ripening, and the road is calling.
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Road Trip: Alaska
Anchorage
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Clockwise from top left: A floatplane takes off in Anchorage; downtown reflected in Cook Inlet; the Northern Lights over the Chugach; a vintage sign in Anchorage
components of earth, life, and physical science in an Alaskan context. Don’t miss the planetarium! And the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center is a first-ever partnership with the Washington-based collection, which loaned the museum more than 600 native Alaskan artifacts— beautiful works of art—that are exhibited
along with audio and video presentations. Hungry? You can grab a first-rate meal at the museum’s Muse restaurant, serving locally caught seafood, local veggies in season, and creative dishes like the bacon-Brieavocado burger, for under $15 (kids’ entrees like PBJ or egg-in-a-hole are available for under $7). Speaking of kids, if you’re traveling with little ones you shouldn’t miss the Alaska Zoo. While your trip along the Seward Highway may provide some amazing wildlife encounters, they’ll likely (we hope) be at a safe distance and may inspire questions like “What’s that brown lump on the hill?” Alaska Zoo gets you nose-to-nose (well, figuratively) with immense Alaskan brown bears, black bears, moose, bald eagles, and arctic foxes, among many more species (including arctic foreigners like camels!). Your favorites, however, may be the zoo babies. Alaska Zoo actively participates in wild animal rescue programs that can bring baby coytes, wolves, and moose that are orphaned in the wild due to forest fires and other unfortunate—often manmade—hazards. B&B Susitna Place offers a quiet downtown location with views of Cook Inlet and Denali; summer rates start at $115—a bargain in pricey Anchorage.
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As major U.S. cities go, Anchorage is charmingly small and relatively new: It was founded in 1914 by the Alaska Railroad. With nearly half of Alaska’s population living in the Anchorage area and the oil industry a big part of the local economy, the town bustles with rustic urban energy. It’s also a quick drive to utter wilderness. Some wags joke that Anchorage is “20 minutes from Alaska”— but you’ll have views of mountains and water from much of the city, and visiting in the summer months means your days are long and sunny. But before you tear out of town on the way to unbelievable mountains, lakes, and forests, take a little time to explore at a relaxed pace. The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center is one-stop shopping for local art, history, and science, with permanent exhibits and special shows devoted to the region. The museum’s 15,000-square-foot Alaska Gallery puts more than 1,000 objects on display to present the history and ethnology of the state. You can get a sense of the lifestyle of Alaska’s native peoples, the state’s Russian immigrants, the era of the region’s Gold Rush (captured in Charlie Chaplin’s extraordinary silent classic of the same name), and the process after World War II of Alaska’s journey to U.S. statehood. The Art of the North permanent collection comprises seven galleries that include artworks from early European expeditions to Alaska, landscape paintings, and works by contemporary Alaskan artists. Imaginarium Discovery Center presents hands-on science in more than 80 exhibits that frame basic
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Girdwood Once you hit the Seward Highway south toward Girdwood, you’ll be immediately rewarded with one of the most oooohlook-at-that-and-that-and-that rides of your life. The winding highway takes you through the Chugach mountains and past Turnagain Arm, a massive inlet that gets its name from one of the disappointing episodes in Captain Cook’s expedition to find the Northwest Passage. The star of the show along this ride is 500,000-acre Chugach State Park, one of the largest state parks in the U.S. and an incredibly diverse area that includes portions of the Alaska Range, the Chugach Mountains, and Prince William Sound (most famous, sadly, for the Exxon Valdez oil spill). If you’ve ever craved that perfect blend of ocean, mountains, lakes, and even glaciers, you may want to make Chugach more than a stop along the road. Once inside the park, you’ll marvel at the serious greenery all around. You can appreciate it at arm’s length, or get really into spotting the different types of vegetation, which vary as elevation shifts. At lower elevations you’ll be surrouncded by spruce and birch, with the lush forest floor covered in ferns, mushrooms, and a variety of wildflowers. As you travel higher, though, you’ll see fields of Indian paintbrush, and at the tundra level you’ll find blueberries and mosses. Late summer is ideal for berry picking, and you can find a variety—but to avoid a nasty case of poisoning, consult a guidebook or recruit an expert to accompany you if you plan on eating along the trail. Also, remember that bears are berry fans, too. Make noise on the trail and never approach a bear. Brown and black bears are abundant in the park, as are moose and wolves, plus bearded mountain goats (actually members of the antelope family) and Dall sheep along steep hillsides. You could literally spend weeks exploring Chugach, but some standout sites and trails within the park include Eklutna Lake, with the Chugach range reflected in its mirror-like waters;
From top: The Crow Creek River, in Girdwood; the historic Crow Creek Mine, one of Girdwood’s unique sights
200-foot-tall Thunder Bird Falls, at the end of an easy one-mile hike; Eagle River Nature Center, offering programs and activities and a cabin and two yurts for rent; the 5.5-mile (one way) day hike along the South Fork Eagle River trailhead; and stunning Turnagain Arm Trail, which parallels the coastline for 9.4 miles one way. Since lodging can be expensive in the communities along the Seward Highway, camping fans will save a bundle—and get more time to enjoy the natural wonders of Chugach—by using one of several campgrounds ($10 or $15, depending on
the site), which include picnic tables, fire pits, water, and latrines, and are typically located near popular trailheads. When it’s time to tear yourself away from Chugach, head to Girdwood, a fun little town (known for great food, an artist community, and a laid-back, welcoming vibe) that is most famous for its skiing pedigree: Girdwood is home to cushy Aleyska Resort. If you’ve got the bucks, the resort can be a worthit splurge, but summtertime Budget Travelers on their way to Seward can enjoy a number of Aleyska’s delights without staying the night, including a gondola ride, hikes, a blueberry festival and a fungus festival! While in Girdwood,
lunch at Jack Sprat puts you at the bottom of the resort’s ski hill and starts at $9, with creative riffs on pasta and locally sourced vegetables. Affordable lodgings are about an hour south: Around here, you can’t do better than the $169 per night you’ll find at The Inn at Whittier. The town is a popular cruise port on Prince William Sound— and it’s a great place to rent a kayak or take one of the charter boat rides. You can see glaciers “calf”—the process by which huge chunks of ice fall off and crash dramatically into the sea. (The view from land is pretty awesome, too!)
July | August 2014 Budget Travel 43
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Road Trip: Alaska From left: Seward’s harbor teems with boats; a puffin at the Alaska SeaLife Center
At the end of the Seward Highway is Seward, overlooking Resurrection Bay, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Drop by the park’s visitor center for up-to-date info and advice. Day cruises get you out among the steep canyons and crevices to hobnob with water mammals, and some cruises offer buffets of local specialties as well. See Alaska’s oceanic wildlife from a different perspective at the Alaska SeaLife Center, the state’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center. Billed as a “window on the sea,” the center includes puffins, octopus, and sea lions. Refuel at Smoke Shack for some BBQ (or start your day with their great breakfast), and check in to the remarkably affordable, reliable Breeze Inn by the harbor, with rooms from $69 per night.
DOWNLOAD BT’S FREE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIPS APP!
44 Budget Travel July | August 2014
Your Coolest Summer The ride from Anchorage to Seward takes you past snow-capped mountains, pristine lakes, and charming little towns. LODGING
Susitna Place susitnaplace.com Eagle River Nature Center ernc.org The Inn at Whittier innnatwhittier.com Breeze Inn breezeinn.com
ANCHORAGE
CHUGACH S TAT E PA R K
FOOD
1
GIRDWOOD
A S K A A L
1
Muse anchoragemuseum.org Jack Sprat jacksprat.net Smoke Shack 907/225-7427 ATTRACTIONS
9
SEWARD K E N A I FJ O R D S N AT I O N A L PA R K
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center anchoragemuseum.org Alaska Zoo alaskazoo.org Chugach State Park dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/ chugach Aleyska Resort aleyskaresort.com Kenai Fjords National Park nps.gov/kefj Alaska SeaLife Center alaskasealife.org
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F ROM L EF T: D RE A M STI M E , DA RI A A N G E LOVA ; L AW RE N CE W E S LOWSKI JR . MAP BY W HITNEY TR ESSEL
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ON THE
Folk Art TRAIL
A tour through the Appalachian crafts country of Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina offers behind-the-scenes glimpses of artists at work. By Valerie Rains PHOTOGRAPHS BY WHITNEY TRESSEL
46 Budget Travel July | August 2014
Multimedia artist Aaron Lewis Knapp with one of his large-scale charcoal pieces in Berea, KY. Opposite page: S. Gay Street in Knoxville, TN BudgetTravel.com
P H OTO CR E DI T T K
July | August 2014 Budget Travel 47
48 Budget Travel July | August 2014
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P
EOPLE LIKE YOU TO SWEAT AND SUFFER like Michelangelo, but I
don’t want any part of it,” says Janice Miller, who is making steady progress on her scene of roadside blackberry pickers, while sitting in front of a huge wall of windows (and a few curious onlookers) at the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea, KY. Outside, the sky is bright blue, with perfectly still, puffy white clouds that look like they teleported from the background of one of Miller’s canvases. This is her fifth stint at the center, which stages folk art demonstrations most Saturdays, and it’s this kind of interaction—swapping jokes, hearing about the process —that’s driving this road trip with Whitney Tressel, my art-loving buddy and the photographer of this story. It’s not about seeing folk art, per se, just art made by folks who are willing to open up and let us peek behind the easel.
Maria Andrade Troya’s pottery on display at CURVE studios and garden in Asheville, NC’s River Arts District. Opposite: The breakfast porch at Asheville’s Cedar Crest Inn
BEREA, KY, TO KNOXVILLE, TN We’ve come to Berea for the
Artisan Center, which shows (and sells) works by more than 650 Kentucky craftspeople (in genres that range from basket weaving to bourbon distilling), and also to visit Berea College, a no-tuition liberal arts school with a thriving crafts program that funds a good chunk of its scholarships. Nearly everywhere you turn in town there’s something being created before your
July | August 2014 Budget Travel 49
50 Budget Travel July | August 2014
BudgetTravel.com
We get a peek behind the easel. very eyes—mountain dulcimers, slab-wood grandfather clocks, baffling blown-glass paperweights with swirling, wispy colored-glass jellyfish frozen inside. At SCOTS (Student Crafts on the Square), ceramics major Destiny White gives us a rundown of the school’s student-work history while attaching handles to mugs that will eventually find their way to the shop’s shelves. Even the furniture in the Boone Tavern Hotel, just down the street, has been designed and assembled by Berea students, and undergrad artwork adorns the walls of cafes and restaurants both on campus and off. For lunch, we choose PapaLeno’s pizzeria, a parents’-weekend standby, and plot out the day’s remaining stops from our high-backed wooden booth. First on our agenda: The Museum of Appalachia, a meticulously assembled living museum. Along with its dozens of reconstructed pioneer buildings, it’s got a remarkable trove of everyday artifacts (farm tools, infant coffins) and quirky artwork, like a display of exuberantly polka-dotted, red-and-white pieces by Virginia artist Cedar Creek Charlie, which, taken as a whole, are astonishing—like being inside a diorama collaboration
between Mary Engelbreit and Yoyoi Kusama. We tour the grounds and sit in while a guitar-and-mandolin duo run through Carter Family covers on an 1840s porch. Knoxville, our destination for the night, is just 20 miles farther, and we arrive hungry. Dinner calls for a patio table at the vegetable-forward joint Tomatohead, one of a half-dozen spots that line Market Square, a lively spot populated by UT students. Afterward, we muster the energy for a nightcap at the Peter Kern Library, a dimly lit, dark-wood-paneled bar hidden away at the back of the boutique Oliver Hotel. KNOXVILLE, TN, TO ASHEVILLE, NC We head to the
Knoxville Visitors Center, where the nonprofit radio station WDVX broadcasts the Blue Plate Special live music series at noon six days a week. Today’s free performance starts with a set of old-time mountain music by husband-and-wife-led foursome Boogertown Gap. (Yep, there’s a Boogertown, TN.) Afterward, we stop to peruse vintage banjos in a small shop down the street and tour an exhibition of 19th century local pottery at the East Tennessee Historical Society before we have to
From left: One of the residents of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, TN; Knoxville is in the heart of bluegrass country. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The menu at 12 Bones Smokehouse in Asheville; shrimp and grits from The Blackbird Restaurant in downtown Asheville; artisans in front of the studios on the Gatlinburg, TN, Craft Loop; the Great Smoky Mountains
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the more fun aspects of the process (stomping the finished product to flatten the straw). One of the coolest hand-crafted things we’ll see, though, is from our perch that night at the bar at Curate, an experimental tapas spot run by an El Bulli vet in the heart of downtown Asheville. After making our way through several courses of authentic Spanish classics, we watch as one cook performs a tableside dessert-course magic trick, turning freeze-dried raspberries, potato starch, and Pop Rocks into a translucent sparkly edible sculpture called a panuelo (Spanish for scarf) in seconds flat. And like the best folks we’ve met on our journey, he’s not the least bit afraid to show us exactly how it’s done. Rolling pins adorn the walls at Berea pie joint PapaLeno’s. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The Museum of Appalachia; Lucretia Speas’ glass-tile collage “The CEO” in progress at Riverside Studios in Asheville; The Weaver’s Bottom Craft Studio in Berea; a room at Berea’s historic Boone Tavern Hotel
get back on the road for a stop in Gatlinburg, which boasts an eight-mile loop of galleries and studios dedicated to Appalachian Arts and Crafts. When we reach Asheville, NC, a couple of hours later, we park our car in the industrial zone-turnedcreative-incubator the River Arts District, where cooperative artist-run galleries and studios cluster together along a curve of the French Broad River. Mixed media painter Brit Oie shows us around Riverside Studios, where half-finished mosaic portraits and her own textured-wallpaper-and-paint collages sit awaiting completion in the century-old former welding-supply warehouse. “Being in the River Arts District has given me exposure to people I never would have met,” Oie says. “It attracts not only people who would normally visit art galleries. The fact that people can meet the artists, it really adds something.” And around the corner at Curve Studios, we pick out our favorites among the turquoise-washed tablewares made by Maria Andrade Troya while the artist explains her evolution from baker to printmaker to potter—a path that, in her retelling, makes total sense. The galleries aren’t the only draw down here, though. A handful of restaurants—including the indoor-outdoor 12 Bones Smokehouse, which has served no less than the President of the United States—have opened their doors to feed the browsers. We head over to Asheville proper for dinner (low-country shrimp and grits) at the Blackbird Restaurant downtown, before checking in at the Cedar Crest Inn, a cotton-candy-pink Queen Anne with original woodwork produced by the same artisans who helped build the opulent and iconic Biltmore Estate. ASHEVILLE, NC We’ve saved the Folk Arts Center of
the Southern Highland Craft Guild on the Blue Ridge Parkway for last. In the front lobby, under a display of rush-seat wooden chairs, Friendswood Brooms’ Marlow Gates is patiently demonstrating Shaker-style broom-making, while his own two kids chase each other around the vestibule and occasionally pause to help with
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Folkways KENTUCKY ARTISAN CENTER kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov STUDENT ARTS ON THE SQUARE berea.edu/student-crafts/ BOONE TAVERN HOTEL boonetavernhotel.com PAPALENO’S 859/986-4497 MUSEUM OF APPALACHIA museumofappalachia.org TOMATOHEAD thetomatohead.com OLIVER HOTEL theoliverhotel.com BLUE PLATE SPECIAL wdvx.com RIVERSIDE STUDIOS riversidestudios-asheville.com CURVE STUDIOS curvestudiosnc.com 12 BONES SMOKEHOUSE 12bones.com BLACKBIRD RESTAURANT theblackbirdrestaurant.com CEDAR CREST INN cedarcrestinn.com FOLK ART CENTER southernhighlandguild.com CURATE curatetapasbar.com
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GRAND RAPIDS
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Rafting
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Jacob Belsher looks out over the Colorado River near the beginning of a Grand Canyon rafting adventure
P H OTO CR E DI T T K
the Colorado River The Grand Canyon is undoubtedly majestic when viewed from the national park’s popular South Rim or the more off-the-beaten path North Rim. But to truly enjoy its natural splendor, you’ll want to head straight down into its beating heart—the thrilling (and chilling) whitewater rapids of the Colorado River. PHOTOGRAPHS BY VALERIE SAUERS
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Clockwise from top left: river rafters Jacob Belsher, nature and science director at Yakima Area Arboretum; Wes Maples, an NYC musician; Mike Maples (Wes’ dad); Anna Horn, a NOLS leader and teacher of wilderness medicine. Opposite page: The hike up to the top of the Silver Grotto canyon gives you a bird’s eye view of the river
WHEN SHOULD I GO? Thanks to its desert location and dramatic changes in elevation, Grand Canyon National Park is a veritable climate roller coaster, with recorded temperatures spanning from winter lows of -22ºF to summer highs of 120ºF. Amazingly, these shifts have no impact on water temperature: Because the Colorado River is dam-released from the bottom of the country’s second-largest man-made reservoir, Lake Powell, waters remain at or near a brisk 46ºF, even during the blazing summers. While you’re welcome to raft year-round, keep in mind that each season offers a markedly different experience. May through September is the most crowded, when the summer sun offers a welcome respite from the chilling rapids. But consider the less crowded months of April and October, when you’ll practically have the river (and the limited campsites) all to yourself. Plus, spring and fall come with their own natural perks. April is peak wildflower season in the canyon, while October brings about the so-called “yellow” season, when golden plants all seem to miraculously blossom at the same time.
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WHAT WILL I SEE ON THE JOURNEY? Bald eagles spend winters along the Colorado River, stocking up on trout. Bighorn sheep can be seen negotiating the steep cliffs leading down to the water. Eight species of bats live in the desert uplands, but feed on bugs right along the river. Arizona’s state mammal, the raccoon-like ringtail, is a nocturnal hunter, frequently seen scavenging around campsites. The rare California condor can often be glimpsed circling on thermal wind currents high overhead.
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Rafters Jim Graham, Wes Maples, Evan Horn, and Andy Brown scout out Badger Creek Rapid— the first significant rapid in Marble Canyon
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HOW LONG WILL I BE OUT ON THE RIVER? You might say rafting the Colorado River is like Choose Your Own Adventure: It’s an infinitely customizable trip that you can cater to your skill level, stamina, and schedule. The easiest option is a half-day, “smooth water” raft trip with Colorado River Discovery (raftthecanyon.com, $91). You’ll start at the base of the 700-foot-tall Glen Canyon Dam, near the town of Page, Ariz., and encounter no rapids along the way. The most hardcore trips, which require expertise and months to years of planning, are the 12- to 25-day self-guided journeys, which take rafters from Lee’s Ferry to Diamond Creek—a whopping 225 miles. HOW EARLY SHOULD I START PLANNING? Your planning schedule will all depend on the length of your trip and whether or not it’s professionally guided. For quick day tours, you can book online, often at the last minute. But most other options require months to years of planning. For overnight self-guided trips, you’ll need a permit from the National Park Service. Only two raft groups can disembark each day, so you should have a date in mind and pounce on the
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A raft dubbed “Old Man River” is manned by David Brown, Jonathan French (rowing) and Jonas Emery. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Jacob Belsher wades in the Little Colorado; Belsher, an avid rock climber, finds some great rock in a side canyon; spring brings splashes of color; Karla Schultz and Andy Brown get an impromptu “rehearsal” for their summer wedding with French as their officiator; French plays around with surfing and catching an eddy in a pack raft
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slot when it becomes available a year in advance. Longer guided trips can be booked with one of the park’s approved tour outfitters, and many fill up two years early. Finally, if you’re hoping to set out on a large-scale, self-guided river trip (12 to 25 days), it’s all about luck: To receive a permit, you’ll need to enter a weighted lottery system (nps.gov/grca, $25). Names are drawn and launch dates are assigned each February, but keep in mind that it can take years to have your name selected, so be open to other types of trips as a backup plan. WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER A PROFESSIONAL OUTFITTER? Unless you have experience with whitewater rafting, you’ll definitely want to use one of the National Park Service’s approved tour vendors. While the river may look peaceful from up above, it can actually be rather treacherous for amateurs. The most intense rapids—labeled either Class V on a standard river scale or size 10 on the Grand Canyon’s unique ranking system—can include enormous waves, steep drops, waterfalls, and extremely narrow passageways between dangerous cliffs. But it’s notjust safety that makes outfitters so great:
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They also, quite simply, make planning infinitely easier. Most tour companies will provide rafts and oars (as well as auxiliary watercraft, such as kayaks and stand-up paddleboards), helmets and life jackets, sleeping accommodations (such as sleeping bags, mattress pads, or tents), food, and, perhaps most importantly, bathroom accommodations. In addition, tour operators will shuttle guests down to the river, which can often be an adventure in its own right for travelers going it alone.
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C LO CKW I S E F ROM TOP L E FT: A RI O N DO ER R; CH RI STOP H E R S HA NE ; W H I TN E Y TR ESSE L ; JAN IE OS B ORN E
WHAT ELSE WILL I DO ON THE TRIP? The river may be the focus of your rafting adventure, but it’s also a fantastic delivery device, connecting the canyon’s many diverse activities. During layover days and meal breaks, you might find yourself rock climbing, bird watching, swimming along the banks, cliff jumping, searching for hidden waterfalls and grottoes, or touring ancient Anasazi granaries and dwellings. Rafting offers a serious upper-body workout, so consider a hike to get your legs moving. By heading into one of the many narrow limestone slot canyons and going up in elevation, you’ll find a totally different view of the river—an outstanding perspective on how far you’ve traveled and how much river is still left to conquer.
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WHAT SHOULD I PACK?
L.L. Bean Neoprene Paddling Gloves: The Colorado River remains at or near a chilly 46°F, even in the summer. Neoprene gloves are a lifesaver, and these come with a Sharkskin grip so you won’t drop your paddle. llbean.com, $20
Pelican i1015 iPhone Case: Professional photographers swear by Pelican’s heavy-duty camera cases, but you’ll love its water-resistant, crush-proof iPhone covers, which are O-ring sealed and include an attached carabiner. cabelas.com, $32
Shortly before rafters reach Phantom Ranch, the colors and types of rock change dramatically to gray and black
Outdoor Research Bug Bivy: River banks can be notoriously buggy, so campers swear by this affordable sleeping sack that comes complete with a protective layer of mosquito netting. rei.com, $79
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all that The piano at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse in the Royal Sonesta Hotel
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jazz P H OTO CR E DI T T K
NEW ORLEANS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST MUSICAL TRADITION. HERE, WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE CRESCENT CITY’S HOTTEST NIGHTCLUBS. P H OTO G R A P H S BY R U S H JAG O E
S
wing. You know it when you hear it. It makes you tap your foot the way a waltz, a polka, or even the Stones somehow never can. It makes you want to dance—preferably with someone you want to, well, swing with. Swing is America’s most significant—and hottest—contribution to world music, and it came together right here in New Orleans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jazz music—an ever-evolving amalgam of blues, spirituals, hymns, ragtime, European art music, marches, and West African, French, and Caribbean musical traditions—is the great homegrown American art form. When early jazz pioneers like Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton walked the streets of the Crescent City, polishing their chops in houses of ill repute, the music was considered rough, dirty, taboo. These days, those pioneers might be gratified to learn that their music—plus R&B, fusion, and more—is on tap like never before, drawing multitudes of visitors nightly to a new generation of hotspots. Sure, you come to New Orleans for the beignets, for the sazerac—and well you should. But don’t miss all that jazz! You could think of jazz as the embodiment of the best of the United States: It’s a democratic medium that gives each player his or her moment in the spotlight; it requires quick-witted improvisation and grace under pressure. But, really, you should probably just swing. Here, six of the coolest nightclubs in the city where American music was born. —Robert Firpo-Cappiello 66 Budget Travel July | August 2014
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GET THERE Bullet’s Sports Bar 2441 A.P. Tureaud Ave. New Orleans, LA 504/669-4464 Yes, you may have spotted Bullet’s on the HBO series Treme. Catch live R&B, jazz, and blues, including Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Neshia Ruffins & Zero Gravity, and Guitar Slim Jr. Grab great charbroiled oysters and other traditional favorites from the kitchen, or line up at the popular food truck that parks outside. Open daily, with Happy Hour on Monday afternoons.
Bullet’s Sports Bar Clockwise from top left: The bar at Bullet’s Sports Bar in New Orleans’s 7th Ward; during the day, it’s easy to pass the nondescript corner building that houses Bullet’s, but as crowds gather and night comes, the place becomes a neighborhood hotspot for food, music, and neighborhood culture; locals and visitors converge on Bullet’s for soul food and brass music on Tuesday nights; a bartender pauses to enjoy the live music; charbroiled oysters are just one of many traditional New Orleans favorites to chose from
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GET THERE Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel 300 Bourbon St. New Orleans, LA 504/553-2299 irvinmayfield.com Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter Irvin Mayfield leads the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra here, and you can also hear Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (the band has existed for more than a century, and French is its seventh leader), contemporary jazz trumpeter Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown, and the Burlesque Ballroom featuring Trixie Minx each Friday “round midnight,” evoking 1960s New Orleans. Open daily, no cover ($15 for Mayfield’s Wednesday jam session).
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse Clockwise from top left: Jamison Ross on drums at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse in the Royal Sonesta Hotel; Irvin Mayfield, jazz trumpeter
and Cultural Ambassador of the City of New Orleans, pauses while the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra takes the tune; Mayfield “second lines” (a traditional New Orleans parade dance move) through the crowded room
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GET THERE Le Bon Temps Roule 4801 Magazine St. New Orleans, LA 504/895-8117 You know a joint is ready to party when it cribs a slogan like “let the good times roll.” This is the place to see up-and-coming bands. Sometimes referred to as the “House of Dues,” the bar welcomes rising stars and a young crowd with free raw oysters during Happy Hour and reasonably priced beer and cocktails (including elaborately garnished Bloody Marys). And if you can squeeze in during a New Orleans Saints game, beers are $1.
Le Bon Temps Roule Clockwise from top left: Le Bon Temps Roule is as known for its Bloody Marys as for its live music; free raw oysters are an additional draw at Happy Hour; early in the evening,
jazz pianists sit in for sets in the main bar room, and at 11 p.m. bands set up in the back of the establishment; Cajun chef Melissa Martin enjoys a festive cocktail
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The Three Muses The Three Muses sits right in the middle of all the action on Frenchmen Street, a strip known for live music that runs late into the night. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Today’s Riff drink special of the day (a nod to the film noir classic Chinatown); a Today’s Riff, ready to drink; Chef Dan Esses’s celebrated Herb de Provence Roasted Duck and House Rigatoni; the bar and tables fill up as the Andrew Duhon Trio sets up to start its set
the spotted cat A member of Jayne Morgan’s Sazerac Jazz Band warms up on his clarinet at the Spotted Cat Music Club.
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GET THERE Three Muses 536 Frenchmen St. New Orleans, LA 504/252-4801 thethreemuses.com While this place features a great eclectic mix of rising musicians, food definitely takes center stage. The Three Muses, in the Faubourg Marigny, is attracting a nice buzz for its short ribs, jerk duck, and yucca fries. Plan on a worth-it wait for a table in the small, no-reservations dining room. Closed Tuesday. Lunch served only on weekends.
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GET THERE The Spotted Cat 623 Frenchman St. New Orleans, LA spottedcatmusic club.com With live music from opening to
closing, The Spotted Cat Music Club is one of the most popular spots in New Orleans to hear jazz and blues. Regular acts with gigs one or two
nights each week include the New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, and Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All Stars.
The Spotted Cat Music Club
Clockwise from top left: The Spotted Cat has long been a mainstay of the evolving Frenchmen Street live music scene; a clarinet awaits its call to the bandstand; a member of the Sazerac Sunrise Band warms up on his clarinet; Jayna Morgan and the Sazerac Sunrise Band prep for a set
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GET THERE Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub 733 Bourbon St. New Orleans, LA 504/586-4800 fritzelsjazz.net Founded in 1969 in an 1831 building in the French Quarter, New Orleans’s oldest operating jazz club is rip-roaring fun, with first-rate traditional jazz and more. Fritzel’s New Orleans Jazz Band is a fixture, and a variety of musicians evoke the sound that set the music world ablaze, with clarinetists and trumpeters wailing in the traditional style. Feeling brave? Sit in with the band—Fritzel’s welcomes visiting musicans in the democratic spirit of improv, swing, and grace under pressure!
SERVIC BOX Three Muses
thethreemuses.com 536 Frenchmen St. New Orleans, La 70116 (504) 252-4801 Open from 5pm – ‘Til -Closed on TuesdaysKitchen Hours: Sun, Mon, Wed & Thurs 5-10 .:. Fri & Sat 5-11 Lunch Fri, Sat & Sun 11am-2pm
Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub Pianist Leslie Martin warms up before a set July | August 2014 Budget Travel 73
One reader’s top shot
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My Take
TECH TIP
Look for shade when photographing food. You will capture every delicious detail!
Warabi Mochi, Japan
Most Americans may associate mochi with a dense, glutinous rice cake (often covering ice cream). Warabi mochi is lighter and a seasonal dessert during summer. I remember that lighting this mochi was difficult because I was sitting under a lattice-shaded area. I had to shift my position a few times to get the right balance of dark and light without sacrificing my composition. (Once I find the right background, I never move the subject, only my point of view. Mochi literally means a biscuit, but is more appropriately translated as a treat. —DIANA NI, IWAKUNI, JAPAN
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