Iceland: Favorite Places to Stay
After 16 days spent here, I’ve experienced many types of lodging in Iceland. Some are of the more common hotel type, while others are farms or homes converted or adapted to tourist trade use. Lodging options are sorely needed in Iceland, as the tiny population of 320,000 must cater to more than 500,00 tourists annually (and growing).
First, a few things to know about touring in Iceland. Every place I stayed had wireless Internet capability. Only one place charged for it, but the fee was nominal- less …

I recently traveled to Costa Rica, that anomaly of a country where 25% of the land is held in national parks and where eco-consciousness is a way of life, not political posturing.
Two hotels in the capital city of San Jose that I stayed in serve as metaphors for the old versus new way of thinking. The Gran Hotel de Costa Rica is a magnificent structure, built in the heyday of the capital city. It is huge, ornate and, sadly, run down. The marble and wood entryway are impressive, as is …

Winter Fun in Boulder, Colorado
by Lester Picker
[This article originally appeared in Better Homes & Gardens. Some material may be dated. Please check beforehand.]
“This valley is so beautiful that people seeing it will never be happy anywhere else and will always return.”
- Arapaho Chief Niwot’s ‘curse’
Sitting at the foot of Colorado’s imposing Front Range mountains, the scenery around Boulder is nothing less than spectacular.  Streets radiate from the town center and quickly turn into valleys, gorges and peaks of incredible beauty.  From any point in town you can see the Flatiron …

Sun City, South Africa
by Lester Picker
[This article originally appeared in The Baltimore Sun Travel section. Some information may be dated, so always check beforehand.]
Huddling against the cold in the June pre-dawn darkness in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa, nothing could have prepared me for the sights and sounds that were ever so slowly, magically inching their way over the horizon.
As our hot air balloon filled in noisy bursts, we could see the faint outline of a herd of wildebeests grazing unperturbed all around us. Our guide, Andrew, kept us herded …

The Inns of Boulder and Colorado Springs
by Lester Picker
[Please note: This article originally appeared in a consumer magazine. Information in this article may be dated. Always check before making reservations or traveling.]
Boulder
The Alps Boulder Canyon Inn
From the quaint painted porch of The Alps Boulder Canyon Inn, comfortably nestled in the midst of majestic Boulder Canyon in Colorado’s scenic Front Range mountains, one can be excused for smiling at Chief Niwot’s ‘curse.’ Sipping fresh-squeezed lemonade, prepared each quiet summer’s afternoon by innkeepers Jeanine and John Vanderhart, while resting peacefully on cushioned …

[This article originally appeared as a travel feature in The Baltimore Sun.]
The Outer Banks
By Lester Picker
With more than 300 miles of coastline, the Outer Banks has stretches of sand that are consistently rated among the top beaches in the world. Whether you crave an active water vacation or a spiritually recharging barefoot walk along empty beaches, the Outer Banks has it all.
The Outer Banks is just a 6- or 7-hour drive from Baltimore. The sense of place can change markedly from one milepost to another. For a family with school-age …

[This article originally appeared in Better Homes & Gardens. I've deleted all pricing information. Please use the contact information to confirm details.]

“I am convinced that there is no air in the world like the air of Maine.”
- Mrs. John D. Rockefeller writing from Bar Harbor in 1944
Bar Harbor by Lester Picker
Bar Harbor, the hub of Mount Desert Island, is a sleepy island community in Frenchman’s Bay for 8 months of the year, with a population of just 2,600.  But, from June through September, the island is host to some 4 …