Travel Ideas

Barcelona may be renowned for its buildings, but the city truly lives outdoors. From the morning crowds frolicking on its beaches to late-night diners munching tapas at sidewalk tables, life here often feels like a city-wide block party.

The best way to join the fun? Grab some to-go treats and plunk yourself down in the heart of the action. Here are five great Barcelona picnic spots paired with nearby bakeries, restaurants and markets that will outfit you with everything you need for an al fresco feast.

The American beer scene has reached epic proportions, and the local craft beer market continues to grow at guzzling speed. But alas, not all brews are created equal, nor is every brewery-studded destination worth a visit. To that effect, we've compiled a list of ten to-die-for breweries in ten of the coolest towns in the country. Think of it as the perfect pairing of taprooms and travel.

A typical must-do list for travelers to Italy runs as long as the Appian Way. You must see the Vatican. You must commune with David and the diners at The Last Supper. You must go back in time to 79 A.D. in Pompeii. You must wander around Venice until you get lost. A list can go on and on and on.

Italy offers so many significant things to do, though, that unless you've got a year or two, it's hard to actually do everything. Yet one thing makes on everyone's list: You must eat in Italy. For sustenance, of course, but also because Italy's cuisine is among the most celebrated in the world.

Of the 30 Major League Baseball parks that light up the country every spring and summer, a few stand out for history - Camden Yards and Cal Ripken, Jr., anyone - while others shine for their sparkling new waterfront property, such as Miami's Marlins Park. But then there are those that have fielded the dream team of thrilling views, rich lore and even richer food and drink for the ideal day out. Here they are.

For anyone who hasn't actually tried lobster now is the time. Throughout North America, June 15 is National Lobster Day. Here are some tips for enjoying your local catch of the day.

Atlantic Canada is a bucket list destination for seafood lovers -- and understandably so. Plump, sweet scallops from Digby, on the Nova Scotian mainland, are considered delicacies everywhere; and Prince Edward Island's Malpeque oysters have had an international reputation since winning the "best in show" title at the 1900 Paris World's Fair. Newfoundland and the province of New Brunswick, meanwhile, are both renowned for trophy-size wild salmon. But my island is all about lobster, and one of my beach house goals is to eat as much as possible.

Mermaids, rogue paint colors, waterparks and dinosaurs. Sounds like a kids dream, right? Make 'em a reality with these top 10 summer hot spots for kids.

For Father's Day, don't take your dad any old place for a round of golf, a plate of slow-cooked ribs or a quiet afternoon fishing on a lake. Take him for a round of golf, a plate of slow-cooked ribs or a quiet afternoon fishing on a lake – but at a place that cares about fathers so much that fatherhood is central its existence. Take your dad to a place that doesn't just welcome fathers, but reveres them so much that the word father – or daddy, or padre, or papa – is right there in the name, sometimes even in neon.

Any of these 11 great Father's Day destinations in the United States (loosely) named after fathers should do the trick.

Do any dads out there really want another tie, pen, cigar cutter, or power tool for Father's Day? We didn't think so. Instead, drop hints about a short mancation, recruit a couple buddies, and skip town.

A typical must-do list for travelers to Italy runs as long as the Appian Way. You must see the Vatican. You must commune with David and the diners at The Last Supper. You must go back in time to 79 A.D. in Pompeii. You must wander around Venice until you get lost. A list can go on and on and on.

Italy offers so many significant things to do, though, that unless you've got a year or two, it's hard to actually do everything. Yet one thing makes on everyone's list: You must eat in Italy. For sustenance, of course, but also because Italy's cuisine is among the most celebrated in the world.