Whether it’s a modest box of conversation hearts or a flamboyant heart-shaped box of chocolates, a whopping 92% of Americans plan to say “I Love You” with a gift of sweets on Valentine’s Day, according to the National Confectioners Association.
05.01.2024 - 09:17 / nationalgeographic.com
In the 19th century, Boston was nicknamed ‘The Hub of the Solar System’ such was its importance at the heart of the young American nation. Ask any of the passionate locals — especially Red Sox baseball fans — and they’ll say it’s still an accurate description. The star at the centre of this particular galaxy is a compact 400-year-old downtown, home to a collection of historic sites that form the core of the Freedom Trail, and the harbour where the Boston Tea Party protest took place 250 years ago. You’ll find most of the best hotels in the Back Bay or South End areas, both flanking the downtown and close to the culinary and cultural action.
Best for: all-rounder
Anchoring the oceanfront Rowes Wharf, this heavyweight hotel is the host venue for the Boston Wine & Food Festival, a three-month event that kicks off every year in January. It’s also home to one of the city’s finest seafood restaurants, Rowes Wharf Sea Grille, which serves a memorable lobster fried rice. The bright, recently renovated rooms have blue tones and maritime art that pay tribute to the setting; the ones marked with even numbers have a guaranteed sea view. There’s an enormous pool beneath reception, hotel boat trips out to the harbour islands and live music on a floating barge every evening. Add the fact that the Children’s Museum and Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum are within easy walking distance, and you have a true all-rounder. Rooms: From £485.
Best for: bargain hunters
In Boston’s lively South End, the Revolution styles itself as a ‘boutique micro-hotel’, akin to a luxury hostel. All guest rooms are private, but there’s a remarkable range of shapes and sizes available, from ‘quads’ — four bunk beds, each with its own privacy curtain and USB port — to spacious loft suites with kitchenettes. The prices remain low across the board, largely because 70% of the rooms rely on shared bathrooms, but even these are no great compromise: the showers are connected to handy in-room indicators showing when they’re occupied, so guests don’t have to queue. The onsite restaurant hits the right notes with its classic Cal-Mex menu, from shrimp quesadillas to roast chicken fajitas, while the basement has a cafe and co-working space perfect for nomadic types. Rooms: From £85.
Best for: active trips
The Whitney sits at the confluence of three key neighbourhoods: buzzy West End, pretty Beacon Hill and scholarly Cambridge, a quick stroll across adjacent Longfellow Bridge. This 65-room boutique property has made a name for itself with its impossibly comfortable mattresses — they come from a small local supplier and are frequently sold to guests at check-out — and Sardinian restaurant Peregrine, where highlights include the paella-like seafood fregola.
Whether it’s a modest box of conversation hearts or a flamboyant heart-shaped box of chocolates, a whopping 92% of Americans plan to say “I Love You” with a gift of sweets on Valentine’s Day, according to the National Confectioners Association.
There is no shortage of nature-driven euphoria in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
In Canada, a visit to the beach doesn't just mean ice cream, basking in the sun and a bracing dip in the ocean.
Gifts for your loved one at Valentine’s Day can range from experiences (romantic dinners or weekend getaways) to tasty treats to enjoy at home. But, if you are looking for a gift to wrap up in a box and give to your traveling sweetheart, here are some entertaining ideas that will make their frequent trips more enjoyable.
Mark your calendars: On April 8, 2024, a rare total solar eclipse will cut a path across the continent beginning with Mexico, passing through the US, and exiting through Canada. The line of totality for this celestial phenomenon will cross through 13 US states with some areas seeing a maximum totality of over four minutes (including Bloomington, Indiana, and Mesquite, Texas). So, there are plenty of chances to observe the eclipse as it arches from Texas to Maine, hitting Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire on the way.
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Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
What’s the first dish that comes to mind when you think of classic British pub food? Fish and chips? Steak and ale pie? A burger? Yes, to all the above. And chips, always chips — still one of the most popular pub foods. But how did this all come to be? And why have these dishes endured?
Global campaigner the Conservation Collective is making waves across the Mediterranean, helping visitors protect the region’s increasingly under-pressure ecosystems. Its Sicily Environment Fund supports local hiking company Astrid Natura and Collettivo Rewild Sicily to train more walking guides, who will focus on the benefits of rewilding. Walking tours with qualified naturalist guides can also be booked with federescursionismosicilia.it.
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Known as the no-winter island, Cuba cycles through mild to warm to hot-as-hell weather with the changing seasons.