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Visiting Capri, Italy with Steve Harvey
When work sends you to Capri, Italy for a quick 36 hour trip, you go. Especially if the job requires a night in Naples, a day on the magical island of Capri, and a recording session with the one-and-only Steve Harvey. We flew out on Friday night and arrived in Naples Saturday morning. Jet lagged but curious, we wandered the ancient streets and back alleys of Napoli –– aka the “Birthplace of Pizza.” As you can imagine, the place that invented pizza knows how to make a great slice. So we tried a bunch of them, and yes, it’s that good. Naples is Italy’s third largest city, and despite it’s…
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Hitting the Bourbon Trail and Hiking Trails in Lexington, Kentucky
Visiting Kentucky's hiking trails and Bourbon Trail
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Find First-class Hiking at Airplane Rock
Ohio’s Hocking Hills region is packed with natural wonders –– and packed with people enjoying those natural wonders. But there are equally beautiful hikes without the crowds. Sometimes you gotta take the road (or trail) less traveled. Fortunately, you’ll find friendly skies and first-class hiking at Airplane Rock. The Airplane Rock Trail is a stunning path that’s off the beaten path. This 4.5 mile loop trail is located near Rockbridge, Ohio, within the Hocking State Forest and not far from the far-more famous Conkles Hollow. The hiking trail runs on a bridle trail and riders get the right of way. It’s listed on AllTrails as moderately challenging, but when it’s…
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5 Best Things to do in Ohio’s Hocking Hills
Ohio has 75 state parks, and they all have something special about them. From Lake Erie to the Ohio River they are all gems in their own right. But perhaps the shiniest gem of all is Hocking Hills State Park in Logan. Don’t just take my word for it. It was recently named “one of the most beautiful state parks” in America, and has been recognized as one of the nation’s 50 Best State Parks. Indeed, there are world-class wonders waiting to be discovered in Ohio’s Hocking Hills. The much-loved park is within the iconic Hocking Hills region, and features over 25 miles of world-class hiking trails, Insta-worthy waterfalls, scenic…
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8 Great Ways to find your Lake Erie Love
With its sandy beaches, fresh seafood, island hopping, and laid-back vibe, Ohio’s Lake Erie region just feels like vacation. Not to mention it’s the home to the epic Cedar Point Amusement Park, the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World.” Yes, there’s a lot to love here. Locals call it their “Lake Erie Love.” That’s also the name of a tourism campaign I helped create a few years ago that still resonates with locals and loyal visitors alike. Trust me, you’ll want to come back again and again to America’s North Coast. And we do. While it’s hard to narrow them down, here are 8 perfect ways to find your Lake…
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Texas-sized Adventures in San Antonio and Austin
They say “Everything’s bigger in Texas” –– and that includes the wonders worth wandering. (I’m looking at you, world’s best barbecue.) Exploring San Antonio and Austin offers all kinds of big-time adventures, from cowboy boots to hiking boots. Here are a few must-see stops in the Lone Star State. Remember the Alamo Before my first trip to San Antonio all I knew about this city was it’s where PeeWee Herman tried to find his bike, and Tim Duncan won titles and crushed dreams playing for the Spurs. But after visiting several times I’m happy to report there’s a lot more than that. The big tourist draw is certainly the Alamo,…
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Oh, Canada! Exploring the North Shore of Lake Erie
Who knew Boston terriers loved Canadian beaches so much? And long-haired Chihuahuas are big fans too. Oscar and Gizmo’s Excellent Adventure took them north of the border to southern Ontario. Here are our top tips for exploring the north shore of Lake Erie. As a life-long Ohioan I’ve visited the shores of Lake Erie countless times. Sandusky and Cedar Point and Put-in-Bay and Toledo and Cleveland. But those are the southern shores of that Great Lake. I’d never seen Erie looking down from the north. Until now. Although it feels a world away, this part of Canada is just a four-hour drive from Columbus. We found a charming AirBnB right…
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A Guys’ Guide to a Weekend in Sedona, Arizona
When you’re celebrating your 180th birthday you gotta do it up right. My college friends Dave and Russ and I take a trip together nearly every year. This year we all celebrated milestone 60th birthdays. Russ (aka The Chicago Window Guy) had just purchased a home in Sedona, and he wanted to check the progress of the upgrades he was making. Boom, birthday weekend in Red Rock country. A weekend wasn’t nearly enough, so here are my top reasons why I love Sedona and can’t wait to go back. After flying into Phoenix we we spent some time with America’s Pastime. We caught a Diamondbacks game with great seats behind home…
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Take a rockin’ walk down David Grohl Alley
If you’re a fan of Nirvana or the Foo Fighters, do yourself a favor. Put on your Chuck Taylors, crank that music to 11, and head to Warren, Ohio to experience the one-and-only David Grohl Alley. Like most people I assumed Dave Grohl, drummer for the seminal grunge band Nirvana and lead genius of the Foo Fighters, comes from the Pacific Northwest. That’s where Nirvana got their start, changing the sound of rock and the look of fashion to distortion-filled, flannel-clad, delicious disenchantment. Of course he comes from Seattle and helped craft that grimy Seattle sound, right? Nope. A proud son of Warren, Ohio David Grohl was born January 14,…
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Rwanda Wandering: Meeting Mountain Gorillas in the Wild
A fully-grown male silverback gorilla can weigh around 400 pounds. They’re also 6-9 times stronger than an average human. So coming face-to-face with one on their turf can be hella intimidating. Meeting mountain gorillas in the wild is also one of the most memorable, adrenalin-fueled experiences on Earth. Volcanoes National Park Our adventure began while filming in northwest Rwanda, in Volcanoes National Park. Located in a remote rainforest, the park is nestled in the Virunga Mountains conservation region. This isn’t your everyday hike through a city park; it’s a challenging multi-mile slog up & down steep mountains, along muddy barely-there paths through thick primordial jungle filled with stinging nettles and…
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Purple Reign: This Ohio lavender farm is the cool, calming vibe you didn’t know you needed
The zen begins the moment you turn down the long gravel driveway and head toward that iconic purple barn. The peaceful vibe of this Ohio lavender farm will soothe your senses…and blow your mind. Located in Enon, Ohio, just 8 minutes outside Yellow Springs, Sunset Ridge Lavender Farm is 33 acres of fragrant fields and bucolic beauty. It’s also an Instagrammable paradise for senior pics and selfie sticks. We saw plenty of both the day we visited. The ideal time to visit is June and July, when the lavender is in full bloom. When you arrive at the barn they give you scissors and a rubber band (purple of course!),…