Michele Bigley

Escape the crunch of crush: Wine Country harvest escapes

Harvest time has arrived, making Wine Country into the destination du jour of California's Indian Summer. Imagine warm languid days filled with the scent of crisped apples and grape leaves, earth being turned and yes, so much perfume of...

Have we graduated?

As I stared at the collection of books, train toys, wipes, clothing and snacks overflowing from our backpacks, I had to ask the question: Have we, like most of our thirtysomething friends, graduated from traveling with backpacks? Most of my...

Which Northern California county offers summer festivals with cowgirls, salmon, art, and music?

Some destinations rely on their notoriety to draw tourists back year after year. Mendocino County has a different agenda. Combining rich redwood forests, windswept beaches, and artsy towns with one-of-a-kind festivals, San Francisco's northern hippie neighbor...

Northern California's top inns for romantic getaways--part one

With honeymoons, anniversaries, and the summer heat all begging to be celebrated, Northern California has its fair share of places to woo your sweetheart. Selecting which is right for you is the only problem. Here are my top romantic inns...

Kauai's Kokee forest brush fire mostly contained

A brush fire torched 10 acres of Kokee forest in the Waimea Canyon State Park this weekend. As of Sunday morning, the blaze was 75 percent contained, with a few hot spots still burning. The fire started along Makaha Ridge...

Last minute Northern California Fourth of July ideas

San Franciscans have a love/hate affair with the 4th of July. Oh how we love to celebrate barbeque, family and friends, the languid days of summer, lounging in Dolores Park with Bi Rite honey lavender ice cream, and a...

Unplug and follow the music around the world

On my first overseas trip, I was beginning to feel homesick when I stumbled into a cafe in Amsterdam. It was the typical Dutch coffee shop, complete with typical Dutch vices, but that wasn't what drew me in. The...

The How-To guide to planning a trip in the Internet age

After prowling through Travelzoo, Travel-ticker, and Smarter Travel, we finally found a reasonable airline flight to Thailand. But this fickle traveler had to marinate on the price ($670--in summer!), the dates, and if I could handle a 25...

Off the strip: Sin City's under the radar westside

Everyone smirks when they hear you are going to Las Vegas. You know the expression: an upper lip curl that insinuates that you are about to drink yourself into a money spending stupor, indulge yourself with gluttinous cuisine, then shop...

10 last minute Father's Day gifts for traveling papas

As queen of the procrastinators, I am often scowering the Internet searching for last minute ideas for Father's Day. If you are like me, here are some ideas that dads with wanderlust will surely appreciate. 1. Golden Gate Meat...

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