ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
January • 2024
O PE N FOR
RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER ADVERTORIAL
Follow in Harriet Tubman’s Footsteps on Maryland’s Eastern Shore Experience deep-rooted history, breathtaking nature, colorful murals, charming towns, and delicious seafood in a place known as the “Heart of the Chesapeake Bay.” What is it like to experience the life of one of the world’s most unlikely heroes, Harriet Tubman? Visitors have called exploring the place of her birth moving, powerful, and inspiring. Born in Dorchester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tubman had everything against her: she was enslaved and illiterate, and thanks to a brain injury caused by an overseer, she was disabled. Today, in beautiful “Tubman Country,” you can see the places where she lived, toiled, and worshipped. Learn of the daring and ingenious escapes she led to bring friends and family f rom slavery to f reedom—becoming a hero known worldwide. Sites along the scenic road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway include the riveting “Take My Hand” mural, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, and the 1800s general
store where Tubman nearly died as a girl. Echoes of the stories that happened in these places still speak to us today. The unspoiled landscapes around Dorchester County would have looked familiar to Tubman. For today’s travelers, they provide breathtaking backdrops, not only for stories f rom the past but also for wildlife watching and stunning sunsets. The best spot to take in the natural splendor is the 30,000-acre Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and its four-mile Wildlife Drive. Connect with the family-owned Blackwater Adventures and join a kayaking tour led by a guide who shares tales of the Underground Railroad (the secret network of places and people that Tubman and other f reedom seekers used) or points out wildlife, including bald eagles, egrets, and muskrats. History abounds in Dorchester County. Handsell presents stories of three cultures that occupied its land through a Native American longhouse, a restored 1700s home built by colonial settlers, and a memorial to the enslaved.
Long Wharf on the Choptank River was where enslaved Africans once arrived by ship; today, it’s home to the replica 1800s Choptank River Lighthouse, offering lovely river views and a small museum on the local maritime heritage. For a different take on the area’s history and nature, explore the vibrant
art of the county’s Chesapeake Mural Trail. With Dorchester County nearly surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways, local seafood—crabs, oysters, and fish— is abundant and delicious. The culture of seafood harvesting has shaped life here. Get a taste of a
paddle-wheeler crab feast cruise with Choptank Riverboats. Or join a sail on a Chesapeake icon: a skipjack, the classic wooden sailboat used for generations to harvest oysters. Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester offers public sails where you can learn about oystering, enjoy the river breezes, and even take the helm for a spell. Many diners pair the local seafood with local beverages. Dorchester County is home to Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery, the Mid-Atlantic’s first craft winery, tucked away in the midst of farmland. An anchor in downtown Cambridge, RAR Brewing is Maryland’s fifth-largest brewery and a favorite for craft beer as well as food truck-driven fast food and creative cocktails. With its striking landscapes, inspiring history, connections to the water, and friendly charm, Dorchester County offers a range of relaxing and enriching experiences. Learn more at VisitDorchester.org In Maryland, You’re Welcome.
HARRIET TUBMAN MURAL © JAY FLEMING PHOTOGRAPHY
Support Refugees When You Travel: magdas HOTEL ALLIE MURRAY
When magdas HOTEL opened in 2015, the refugee crisis was beginning to take flight in Europe. According to the UNHCR, by the end of 2016, nearly 6.2 million refugees and migrants arrived in Europe from
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries torn apart by war. With their location in the heart of Vienna, the owners at magdas HOTEL knew refugees would begin arriving in their area looking for a place to live, work, and create a new life. And they were right—Austria hosts around
© ALEKSANDRA PAWLOFF
146,000 refugees and more than 18,000 asylum seekers. The hotel, which had always referred to itself as a social business, focused on opening jobs to refugees and asylum seekers. “Our opening was very timely, as it coincided with the refugee crisis,” Chief Executive Gabriela Sonnletiner told the UNHCR. “Motivated people wanting to work arrived when the labor market was looking for workers. Those two don’t often come together, especially in hospitality, where you need quality staff.” As part of the social business group magdas, which was founded by Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna, the hotel became Austria’s first social business hotel when they opened their doors some eight years ago. By operating as a social business, they aim to give people a chance. They have employed more than 80 refugees since the project began. “As Austria’s first social business hotel, we aim to give people who had to flee their
countries a chance and access to the job market,” Sonnletiner explained. “And to find a job or training position far from rejection based on origin, religion, language barriers or skin color.” In addition to the refugees they employ, magdas HOTEL also strives to make a difference with the design of the rooms. The furnishings are made with upcycling design, and at their first location, furnishings were donated. At the hotel, the goal was to reuse as much as possible to reduce the production of waste. Part of the interior is made from renovated pieces from the 60s and 70s, and the design of the hotel was put together with the support of volunteers and local artists. Notably, the hallways were transformed into exciting works of art by Michaela Polacek, who drew a mural on the walls and designed the bathroom cups with an individualized look for every room. The rooms themselves also have artwork made by local artists Franza Maier, Ivana Kralj, and Elisa Schlifke. If you fall in love with
one of the pieces, you can take it home with you—after paying for it at reception, of course. The hotel has also added greenery in a unique way— replacing a former parking lot with a garden. There are also climbing plants on the façade of the building and large plant troughs embellished on the rooftop terrace. The hotel also features a restaurant, magdas LOKAL, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner with organically farmed produce. While the restaurant features Austrian flavors, the menu also includes international specialties. The cuisine is influenced by the staff who have been able to introduce their cuisine to the hotel. magdas HOTEL is creating a new experience for travelers, influencing the travel industry to adjust their business model to match an ever-changing world. By opening their doors to refugees, magdas hopes more hotels around the world follow suit, allowing the process to be simpler for those seeking refuge.
ADVERTORIAL
Berkeley Springs, West Virginia: Soak It All In For more than 250 years, Berkeley Springs, named for the natural healing mineral waters, has been a center for health and hospitality. Health seekers, George Washington among them, followed Native American tales and came to “take the waters” on the edge of the 18th-century frontier. To celebrate the importance of water, in 1991, Berkeley Springs began hosting the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting. This event welcomes waters from 14 countries and states, from California to Florida, on Saturday, February 24, 2024. Held at The Country Inn in the historic spa town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, it is the world's largest and longest-running water tasting, dubbed by BuzzFeed and The Week “the world’s most prestigious water tasting.” More than 735 distinct waters have entered over the life of the event, coming from all over the United States and from as far away as Greece, New Zealand, Tajikistan, and Japan. Entries from 59 countries, DC, and all but three states have been represented since 1991.
BERKELEY SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL WATER TASTING EVENT © COURTESY OF TRAVEL BERKELEY SPRINGS
"The impact of winning this event is extraordinary for a bottler," said Jill Klein Rone, event producer. “Many have experienced exponential growth, others closed major deals, and almost all winners redesign their labels to display their winning medal.” A distinguished panel of media judges determines the official winners, but there is a role for the public. All day Saturday, they taste
berkeleysprings.com.
water along with the judges. Most importantly, the public votes for the People's Choice Award for best packaging. "How the product looks and grabs attention has become ever more important as the bottled water industry continues to grow," said Klein Rone. "There are well over 600 brands of bottled water." "The real excitement for the audience comes at the conclusion,"
she explained. "Once the awards are presented, we stage the now world-famous 'water rush,' where folks scramble to take home some of the hundreds of bottles of water that have been used for display." The “water rush" was highlighted by cable television's Games Across America. Watermaster Arthur von Wiesenberger, noted expert and author from Santa Barbara, CA, trains the media judges and
directs the challenge of evaluating a product where tastelessness is the most sought-after quality. Dubbed the “granddaddy of water tastings” by von Wiesenberger, this unique event is produced by Travel Berkeley Springs. Judges include representatives from the Insider’s Guide to Spas, WV Public Broadcasting, DC News Now and ABC7-TV, Washington DC. Adding to the mix of coverage are journalists and f reelance writers whose work appears in the Washington Post, Smithsonian, and Woman’s World Magazines, among others. On top of that, podcasters and bloggers come from all over to join in on the fun. The award-winning event was featured on a National Geographic Today television special and repeated documentaries, is a chapter in John Lingan’s book Homeplace, and has been named to various top event lists. It was voted runner-up for the Weirdest Festival in the Blue Ridge. Celebrate Water— Berkeley Springs, WV. berkeleysprings.com
