Category: Visit It, Write It.

The Anna Maria Island Inn is a complex of seven properties, most located on a stretch of waterfront on the Gulf Coast of Florida from Bradenton Beach to Holmes Beach. The Seaside was completely renovated in 2022, and the result is a fresh, clean appearance with a kitschy and hip style. Rooms are stocked with unexpected conveniences, like extra sheets and blankets, beach/pool towels, deluxe versions of board games, and all the bar tools (including a blender) to prepare the perfect drink while relaxing in the sand.

In 2011, Joseph and Ellen Lettieri purchased the mansion home built by businessman Herbert Hills Hewitt, founder of American Brass Co. and patent creator. The Lettieris renovated the home, which now features 13 suites and spacious common areas—including a library, dining area, and a billiards room. Billed as “Victorian charm with contemporary conveniences,” InnBuffalo is much more. Contemporary artwork melds with Victorian and 20th century antiques. The Inn is part refined work in progress as Joe—as he is known around the city—uncovers details like gilded wallpaper and tracks down original mantels and millwork removed from the property by previous owners. Along with an onyx fireplace, wall tapestries and tile work, many of the original, Tiffany-leaded glass windows remain. The large, second-floor Hewitt Suite is adorned with the original quarter sawn cherry wood and features and ensuite bath with a rare Victorian-era needle-spray shower.

It’s all about location, location, location—whether for retail or for travel. When choosing a spot for a Las Vegas trip, location can make or break a special weekend. I always knew Westgate has some of the best resorts in Orlando, so I was excited to learn I was heading to the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino for a guys weekend.

The Westgate Las Vegas is in the perfect location. It is far enough away from The Strip to exude a feeling of safety. It is close enough to downtown Las Vegas to indulge in the nostalgia of the OG Vegas, visit museums, and check out the beer scene on Brewery Row. The Westgate Las Vegas is connected to The Strip via the Monorail, so getting anywhere in Sin City is easy. However, the Westgate has everything necessary for a memorable guys weekend in Vegas in one location!

A dynamic mix of modernity and 50s nostalgia pervades Bethesda, which has grown from humble beginnings as a rural way station to an unincorporated city of almost 70,000 residents. Part of the allure is Bethesda’s proximity to D.C. facilities such as the National Institutes of Health campus and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which have helped Bethesda expand over the years.

Fall travel is perfect for solo travelers and couples looking to avoid the peak tourism crowds, and the season also appeals to families looking to save on off-season rates before winter arrives. According to AAA, a quarter of all Americans regularly travel for leisure between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Smaller cities offer a specific charm sometimes lost in the major metropolis. Therefore, for this list, we consider the best cities with a population of under 100,000, limiting our selection to one city per southern state.

Destinations have started selling the idea of wellness travel to visitors. Over the last few years of traveling, I’ve spotted a concentrated emphasis on proactive health well beyond the attachment of a spa or the availability of a gym at a hotel or resort. With the fall travel season upon us, why not hit the road and enjoy a healthful getaway! 

The Chesapeake Bay is a natural wonder and even a way of life for residents of the massive six-state watershed. It is a haven for sports enthusiasts, water recreationists, and those who border the 4,479 sq. mile body of water on the eastern shore of the United States. The Bay, as it is colloquially known, is the largest estuary in the United States and is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) Peninsula. Virginia claims the southernmost portion of the bay, from mainland to the Eastern Shore.

Whenever I travel with my family, we make sure to visit one or two museums. Whether it’s small, historic homes in colonial-era towns or grand testaments to architecture housing some of the finest art in the world, museums are as much part of how we travel as are dining, lodging or the weather. 

We’ve all made pivots over the past 15 months in order to keep our careers on track. I was able to parlay my 20-plus years of writing about Lancaster County into penning a travel guide as a result of answering a post on an online job board. Now, armed with suggestions regarding the people, places and things I either forgot to mention or were eliminated during the editing process, I could probably write Volume 2. 

The view from afar shows Pennsylvania as tale of two cities, Philadelphia in the east and Pittsburgh in the west. While the draw of one-stop vacationing in the bigger cities may be tempting, PA—the only state commonly known by its abbreviated initials—is home to hundreds of small-town wonders as well. To uncover these lesser-known gems, TravelMag asked more than 100 seasoned adventurers, travel writers, photographers, and industry professionals to name their top three most charming towns and small cities with populations of less than 100,000 people in Pennsylvania.