First timer’s guide to California's Santa Barbara

Why experience the creations of one chef when you can experience a range of local and noted guest chefs plus wine tastings, seminars and other gastronomic treats? That’s the ethos of an enticing food festival and it’s even better when it’s located in a destination that is desirable anyway as a holiday spot. Here are some of the best festivals in, and just outside of, the U.S.

Amid velvety green valleys and oak-covered hills, more than 425 wineries flourish on 63,000 acres of vineyards, producing some of the nation’s best pinot noir, zinfandel and chardonnay — 99% of which are sustainable. Welcome to laid-back Sonoma, located an hour north of San Francisco (depending on traffic), yet a world away. 

Anyone who appreciates fine wine is spoiled for choice in California.

If mom’s idea of a great getaway is using someone else’s kitchen to prepare lavish feasts, well, celebrate that. Especially if you’re invited on the trip! Rental properties are notorious for having dangerously dull knives, a lack of specialty kitchen equipment and often a selection of essentially much more stark than what was promised. Help mom feel prepared and pampered in any kitchen with these great gifts for cooks who love to chef it up at an Airbnb, VRBO or any rental home away from home.

Growing up in Tucson, Arizona , I was used to the desert.

The creations of Arizona-born Orlando Dugi, a member of the Diné Nation, are nothing if not dramatic: gowns glittering with delicate beadwork, silks embroidered with symbolic flora and fauna. Some have been exhibited at places like the Denver Art Museum and the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles. While his imagination is fueled by his upbringing—days spent watching his grandmother sew and nights stargazing at his family's sheep ranch—Dugi also finds inspiration in Santa Fe, which he's called home since 2010. “All the tribal, colonial, and Spanish history—it's all here,” he says. “It's very small, but it's also pretty international.” New Mexico's capital city is set to draw a global audience as host of the inaugural Santa Fe Native Fashion Week, the first of its kind in the country, held from May 2 to 5, where Dugi will present highlights from his mens- and womenswear collections. When he's not designing, he enjoys connecting with Indigenous culture on the ancestral lands of the Tewa people—or kicking back with a margarita.

Napa Valley is synonymous with luxury. Posh hotels, chef-driven restaurants and extravagant tasting fees cemented that reputation decades ago.

Packing healthy and nutritious snacks for the road helps travelers to avoid high-sodium and high-fat food often sold in airports. From snacks to supplements, beating jet lag and keeping a wellness routine going on the road are easier with the right diet and exercise. These products make great gifts for the frequent-traveling moms in your life.

If you’re a traveler or a foodie, you have probably heard of the Michelin Star rating system given to restaurants.

With all that moms do for us, it can be hard to find a gift that adequately expresses our gratitude. Instead of generic gifts like flowers and chocolate, experiential gifts are a more thoughtful gesture. Whether mom is burnt out and in need of a break from the family or retired and ready to travel, the gift of a vacation is one that keeps giving years after memories are made on her trip. The below list offers something for whatever mom is seeking—from elephant encounters in Thailand to truffle-hunting in Tuscany to forest bathing in the California Redwoods.

For moms who travel, a spa getaway is the perfect excuse to send mom on a glamorous vacation that’s uniquely all about her. Exceed mom’s expectations this Mother’s Day with one of the best spa getaways on Earth.

A new bill in California is attempting to ban the biometric security company Clear in the state over protests it creates an unfair advantage for travelers who can afford the service.