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The Down and Dirty Disney Resorts Guide

The Daily Meal — 2011-08-15T11:15:00+00:00

The magic of Disney has been translated into everything from personalized parasols to classic films and from enormous resorts to theme parks so big you can't see them all in just one day.The magic of Disney has been translated into everything from personalized parasols to classic films and from enormous resorts to theme parks so big they can't be seen in just one day. And while that magic touches the hearts of many, it's not on the top of every adult's holiday wish list. But when the kids are old enough to have a say in where to spend Christmas, it's time to throw them a bone and take them on a Disney-centric vacation.

Heading for a far-flung Disney resort is a great place to start - book a trip to Disney Tokyo. Same goes for the resorts in Hong Kong, Paris, and, soon, Shanghai.

Related: A Disney Dining Guide

Opening later this month, the Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii is a family-friendly resort with a host of activities, dining options, a full service spa, and excursions that have as little to do with Disney as you want them to. Instead, they're focused on all things Hawaii, like Hawaiian cooking courses, kayaking, visiting a museum, or surf lessons.

Disney's Animal Kingdom villas lets guests experience the thrill of having animals all around, along with the magic of Disney - and at a fraction of the cost of a real safari. It may be located within the Animal Kingdom area at Walt Disney World, but they sprung for décor and food that makes visitors think they're in Africa.

The good people at The Daily Meal rounded up the best Disney resorts (there are many) for parents in the market for a kid-perfect vacation without a flock of princesses checking them in.

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Best Glamping Spots in America (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-08-12T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Adventure Travel, EcoTravel

Resort at Paws Up

To answer the call for a less... rustic camping experience, glamping is the solution for even the most delicate adventure seekers.

There are plenty of reasons to go camping: the scenic beauty, fresh air, relaxation... the list goes on. But, not everyone can deal with the less pleasant side of camping like pesky insects, sauna-like heat (or arctic tents and cabins), crowded showers that are shared with other families who want nothing more than to nakedly discuss how much they absolutely love this particular camping spot.

Well, you're in luck! To answer the call for a less... rustic camping experience, glamping is the solution for even the most delicate adventure seekers. It has all the perks of traditional camping with the added glamor of luxuries like indoor plumbing in your heated yurt (with hardwood floors, ahem) and 1,000-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. No matter the part of the country, there's a glamping spot for everyone. Always wanted to visit Montana? Then head to Paws Up for the Big Sky Country experience without all the mosquitoes. If the South is more appealing, check out North Carolina's The Can't Find It Inn or northern Georgia's Martyn House in the Chattahoochee Forest.

Whether it's a week in a canvas yurt overlooking the cliffs of Big Sur, or just a kid-free weekend in a little cabin in North Carolina, there is a way to tell everyone at home that you've "gone camping" without actually coming home with ring worm.

Just remember: insisting on bringing toilet paper and sleeping bag renders the trip no longer "glamping."

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8 Bed and Breakfasts with the Best Fixin's (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-08-06T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Hotel, Best Of, Weekend Getaways

Courtesy of Cornerstone Victorian

Bed and breakfasts promise the warmth and comfort of home for those on the road. But, how many of us are cozily welcomed home with a glass of wine by the fire or awoken by the smell of coffee and freshly baked scones every day?
Like at your most generous friend's house, the innkeepers live on site, so they know the area backwards and front and they can't wait to show you the best of it. The houses themselves, often in an idyllic setting, harbor a rich history and ooze character.

Whether they're haunted, were once homes of grand families, or have been passed down by generations of B&B owners, every portrait and floral bedspread tells a story.

One of the most obvious ways innkeepers show their passion for hospitality is through pampering their guests' palates. The Cocoa Cottage Bed and Breakfast is perfect for chocolate-lovers. Innkeepers make sure their guests are always staring down something cocoa-filled, whether it's homemade chocolates or the richest hot chocolate around. The Gastonian wakes its guests up with lemon ricotta pancakes or poached eggs with grilled tomato, creamy spinach, and apple-smoked bacon.

Near the charming, food-loving small town of Asheville, N.C., the Brookside Mountain Mist Inn boasts a multi-course homemade breakfast starting with scones or muffins, working toward a fresh fruit parfait, and finally an entrée like Belgium waffles, pecan French toast, or a Southwest chicken frittata. The hosts take care of all their guests' needs by accommodating diabetics, gluten-free diets, lactose intolerant needs, and vegans as well.

The romance of getting a key (instead of a card), making your way up creaking, wooden stairs, and receiving a friendly, warm hello from the hosts is surely not lost on us.

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Hotels With Amazing In-Room Amenities (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-08-03T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Hotel, Food + Drink

Muy Yum/Flickr

The joys of room service are usually 90% fantasy and 10% based in reality.

The joys of room service are usually 90% fantasy and 10% based in reality. Sitting in a plush hotel room in an oversized robe and calling down to room service (while resisting the temptation to call whoever answers the phone Jeeves) is exactly the kind of luxury we want from a hotel stay; it's an escape from the everyday. But the reality of room service has been a much starker thing with cold, chewy food and hardened bread rolls wheeled in to the bottom of your bed as you hold the door open with your foot.

Well, it seems that dry pastry baskets are a thing of the past, with hotels around the world coming around to the fact that if, in this day and age (or "in this economy," take your pick), people are actually booking a room and paying for it, they're expecting much more than a weight-sensored mini-bar with stale, unsalted peanuts. Take Beverly Hills' SLS Hotel. Their very Spanish-inspired room service menu is trumped only by the roving cotton candy foie gras and caviar cone cart that penthouse guests can take advantage of.

And it's not just high-end hotels adopting this new trend. The Ace Hotel in New York will send a hot or iced cup of super hip-and-delicious Stumptown coffee to your room 24 hours a day. At the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Miami, you'll adopt a "hate to go, but love to leave" attitude when your stay comes to a close with a whimsical and tasty "Ready to Fly" meal.

If the London fog becomes too thick for you to leave your hotel, join the Charlotte Street Hotel's Sunday screenings with a three-course meal just downstairs. Or let's say you feel like a wine tasting but can't possibly be bothered to leave your room? Hope you're staying at the One and Only Palmilla, where the room service wine list reads like oenophile's dream.

Now where to plan my next in-room mixology lesson?

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Best Food Along America's Highways (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-08-02T09:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Food + Drink

iwishmynamewasmarsha/Flickr

The old-fashioned road trip meant Ziploc-bagged car snacks and a whiny younger sibling asking (over and over again) "are we there yet." Even if the trek was to Grandma's house where freshly baked cookies awaited a timely arrival, that plan now seems all too analog. As we've grown older, we've learned to one-up our parents' planning by strategically mapping out pit stops at eateries that can turn road trips from dull to delicious.

The old-fashioned road trip meant Ziploc-bagged car snacks and a whiny younger sibling asking (over and over again) "are we there yet." Even if the trek was to Grandma's house where freshly baked cookies awaited a timely arrival, that plan now seems all too analog. As we've grown older, we've learned to one-up our parents' planning by strategically mapping out pit stops at eateries that can turn road trips from dull to delicious.

Journeying down America's most famous highways, you're bound to uncover some hidden national treasures. Whether it's monuments to superlative foodstuffs or roadside establishments with a committed following, these stops aren't always obvious to the less-than-prepared driver. The good people at The Daily Meal have clocked the miles and handpicked roadside restaurants that are worth a detour along some of America's best-known (and well-traveled) roads.

Get your kicks - and your fill - on Historic Route 66, traveling from Chicago, Ill. to sunny Los Angeles, stopping along the way for root beer bread pudding, a 66-foot tall soda bottle, and green chile stew and posolé. If adventuring is more your style, the Alaskan Highway bears a bounty for those willing to traverse the tundra. Hold out for buffalo burgers and chocolate milkshakes at a roadside joint so top secret, we can't even give you their phone number!

From deep-fried hot dogs in Newark, New Jersey off U.S. Route 1 to Indian-inspired vegetarian eats served straight out of a giant purple bus in Hana, Hawaii, we've discovered food along America's famous highways so mouth-watering, it will have you crying out, "Are we there yet?" in anticipation.

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Celebrity Vacation Homes We'd Most Like to Visit and What to Eat Nearby

The Daily Meal — 2011-08-01T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrity, Food + Drink

londoncyclist/Flickr

When a celebrity chooses a spot for a home away from home, they look for the obvious: total perfection. They want the homes and towns they vacation in to reflect themselves after all. And what do you do if you're a mega-duo like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, or mega-perfect like Gwyneth Paltrow? Buy multiple perfect homes, of course.

When a celebrity chooses a spot for a home away from home, they look for the obvious: total perfection. They want the homes and towns they vacation in to reflect themselves after all. And what do you do if you're a mega-duo like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, or mega-perfect like Gwyneth Paltrow? Buy multiple perfect homes, of course.

Whether it's a mansion in the South of France, a behemoth of a London home, or a private island crash pad, these are the houses that make us wish we were better friends with celebrities. We've assembled a list of these amazing abodes, along with some great places to dine the next time you find yourself hungrily skulking (NOT stalking) around the Italian Alps to catch a peek of George Clooney's digs or languishing in Laval near Celine Dion's Quebecois river retreat.

If only they knew what good houseguests we'd be!

Text by Josh Gardner/TheDailyMeal.com

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A Guide to Europe's National Drinks (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-28T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Food + Drink

Carlos Varela/Flickr

Consider yourself a savvy international imbiber? Have you toasted your way through Europe? Can you say "cheers" in five different languages? (Santé, slainte, salute, skål, proost.) Alright, well then let's see if you know the answer to this question: What is considered to be the national drink of France?

Consider yourself a savvy international imbiber? Have you toasted your way through Europe? Can you say "cheers" in five different languages? (Santé, slainte, salute, skål, proost.) Alright, well then let's see if you know the answer to this question: What is considered to be the national drink of France?

Those of you who were quick to buzz in with "Champagne" or "wine" might want to reconsider that all-or-nothing wager because the answer we were looking for was pastis. The anise-flavored liqueur, most notably produced by Ricard, has long been a national favorite and is particularly emblematic of Marseille where it originated.

Yes, it's true that Champagne can only officially be called such if it is produced in the French region of the same name, but as it turns out, Monaco appears to lay claim to the bubbly as its preferred national beverage. And yes, it's also true that France is one of the most highly regarded wine-producing nations in the world and that the beverage is a major part of the country's dining culture. But that said, let us not forget that the U.S. recently surpassed the French as the world's top wine drinking nation.

Admittedly, the topic of national drinks is somewhat of a subjective one - ripe for debate and likely to ruffle a few feathers. In regards to France, others still might argue that cognac deserves the title. Of course, with some countries the answer is decidedly more obvious. Russia and vodka, Scotland and Scotch, Ireland and Guinness (after all, there is little that can come between and Irishman and his Guinness, except perhaps an Irish woman).

Read on for a tour of the drinks some European countries have rallied behind and adopted as iconic to their identities.

Or, for a taste of the states, check out America's 20 Best Dive Bars and the 150 Best Bars in America.

Text by Tiffany C. Hoang/ The Daily Meal

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Best Celebrity-Owned Homes & Hotels You Can Stay In (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-24T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Hotel, Celebrity

I am Mike's photos/Flickr

Estate: It is a word that conjures wealth, history and old money - a term bandied about by the elite. The attraction of an estate is not a trampoline in the backyard or really refreshing leaps through the sprinkler. Instead, an estate offers all-inclusive luxury to its residents, luxury you (let's face it) probably cannot afford.

Estate: It is a word that conjures wealth, history and old money - a term bandied about by the elite. The attraction of an estate is not a trampoline in the backyard or really refreshing leaps through the sprinkler. Instead, an estate offers all-inclusive luxury to its residents, luxury you (let's face it) probably cannot afford.

Or maybe not. More and more of the world's rich and famous are offering their personal estates or building brand new ones not as just as personal playgrounds, but as resorts available to the public.

In the oh-so-exotic-sounding Turks and Caicos is Parrot Cay Resort, where you can rent the Caribbean getaways of such notables as Bruce Willis, Donna Karan, Keith Richards, and Christie Brinkley. A little closer to home, in South Beach, the former Versace mansion has been converted to Villa by Barton G., a luxury boutique hotel complete with a fine dining room and afternoon tea service in the Mosaic Garden. Further on the horizon is Belize's Blackadore Caye, where actor Leonardo DiCaprio is rumored to be teaming with Four Seasons to build an eco-friendly, sustainable tourist destination.

Though not all the celebrity resorts are within the budgets of the average Joe (i.e. Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island), some of the destinations, like the Biltmore Estate's Inn, make it possible to live like a king, however briefly.

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8 'Cool' Destinations To Visit During A Heat Wave (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-22T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Seasonal

Cdr Aitch/Flickr

With a fully palpable heat wave underway and August's triple digit-temperatures ahead, the thought of autumn breezes and (dare we say) winter chills seems like welcome relief.

With a fully palpable heat wave underway and August's triple digit-temperatures ahead, the thought of autumn breezes and (dare we say) winter chills seems like welcome relief. Don't get us wrong, our love for high temperatures goes back to a simpler time of sprinkler-running and ice cream-truck chasing, but planning that last summer escape usually conjures anxiety-inducing images of throngs of sweaty crowds in Rome and New York. Instead of just retreating into the air-conditioning until the sun goes down, jet to a cooler summer destination that's more balmy than blistering hot.

From short jaunts to longer-haul trips, these destinations have summer breezes aplenty, which means an ice cream cone in the middle of the day is a want, not a need. Plus, booking stays in these cooler locales in the summer off-season can mean big savings.

Instead of waiting for winter, take advantage of off-season discounts and plenty of summery, outdoor adventures in Breckenridge, Colo. For a taste of life down under, Auckland, New Zealand is a cool choice with wine tastings from abundant vineyards and fresh fish from generous harbors during their mild winter.

From street food festivals in temperate San Francisco to culinary boot camp on Canada's Prince Edward Island, these are eight destinations where sitting inside in the middle of an August day is unacceptable. So, if you can't stand the heat...

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The Ten Best Airport Bars in the World

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-21T08:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Air Travel, Food + Drink

Magnus Brath/Flickr

"Ladies and gentlemen, the flight from JFK to LAX has been delayed for a few hours. Sorry for the inconvenience and we thank you for your patience."Time to hit the bar.

Airports all over the world are improving delayed flyers' experiences by improving their drinking establishments. Frequent flyers no longer find themselves sitting in McDonald's for 3 hours. Instead, they're lounging on the rooftop of Singapore's Terminal 3, drinking Thai beer or playing the oenophile at Frescobaldi's Wine Bar in Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport.

Travelers routed through Portland take in local microbrews at Laurelwood Public House and Brewery and vacationers in Belize City International Airport hit the sauce in old-fashioned Caribbean style.

Everyone checking in should be eager to check out our favorite airport bars.

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9 Best Foodie Walking Tours (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-15T07:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Food + Drink

lumierefl/Flickr

Thanks to the growing popularity of walking tours for the food-obsessed, visitors can get to know the culinary histories of any number of neighborhoods across the U.S.

Thanks to the growth of food-obsessed walking tours, visitors (and locals) can get to know the culinary histories of any number of neighborhoods across the U.S.

Take the Epicurean Excursion in Portland to enjoy some of the best artisanal items that come straight from the heart of Oregon. Snack on handmade Dungeness crab cakes, pressed Cubano sandwiches and wash it down with a glass of Pinor Noir (or Pinot Gris) from the Willamette Valley.

Munch on maduros and empanadas while learning about classic Cuban cuisine on the Little Havana Food and Culture Walking Tour in Miami, where hole-in-the-wall flavor is favored over the glitz of the Miami food scene. And while in the Big Apple, take an off-the-beaten-track food trek on the New York Street Food Walking Tour to savor the unique flavor of the city streets. From bulgogi to souvlaki, this tour highlights the city's street fare that goes far beyond hot dogs and pretzels.

From shrimp remoulade in New Orleans' French Quarter to lamb ribs outside of Austin, we're dishing up 10 delicious foodie walking tours sure to get your stomach grumbling. After all, what better way to get to know a city than to eat your way through it?

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Banned Foods In The U.S. (and What To Bring Back Instead) (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-08T07:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Food + Drink

DiKol/Flickr

Bringing a taste of travels home is a noble pursuit. Leaving behind the sumptuous cheeses in France or the wine in Italy can be heart-wrenching to say the least. So what can you try to bring back stateside?Bringing a taste of travels home is a noble pursuit. Leaving behind the sumptuous cheeses in France or the wine in Italy can be heart-wrenching to say the least. So what can you try to bring back stateside? What does the U.S. allow its citizens to enjoy post-vacation and what should they leave behind?

The Daily Meal has put together a list (culled from the FDA and Customs and Border Patrol's official lists) of what they can't take away from people, what just depends on the customs agent, and what people can be fined for - because there is nothing worse than having a treasured food souvenirs get unceremoniously dumped in some undeserving airport trashcan.

The restrictions and rules are filled with minute details and small print. The regulations on what types of cheese can and cannot be brought back are manifold, as are those for nuts, fish, eggs, and meats. One rule that trumps them all, though, is that every food item carried back into the United States must be declared (or face a fine of up to $10,000).

Think just shipping it home is a loophole in the system? Au contraire. Items like gift baskets (which are heavily regulated) sent from any other country are subject to Bioterrorism Act requirements and as a result, many food vendors abroad will no longer ship baskets or gifts containing food stuffs back to the U.S.

Whether there's a cherished local delicacy, you hoped to bring back a favorite edible souvenir, or can't let go - make sure to check this list before stuffing it deep within your suitcase. Digging things out while in line at customs is a terrible way to return home!

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9 Bizarre Prison Hotels (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-02T07:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Weird

The Alcatraz Hotel

Everyone's been on a vacation they wish could last forever, but there's little doubt any traveler would wish to stay anywhere indefinitely or without choice.

Everyone's been on a vacation they wish could last forever, but there's little doubt any traveler would wish to stay anywhere indefinitely or without choice. While they may now be renovated, luxurious escapes, these hotels put properties to use that otherwise would have been raised, demolished, or deserted - namely, jails and mental institutions. Some of these hotels honor the building's former identity by naming rooms or dishes after it, some simply rebuild where an institution once stood, a few chillingly remind of the inmates (not guests) that came before, and still others try to forget it all together.

San Clemente Palace Hotel and Resort, a five-star luxury retreat on a private island off of Venice, offers the old-world charm and serenity that vacation-goers seek in Italy. But beneath the exclusive lagoon-front exterior lays its history as a women's mental hospital. And while Oxford may be better known as home to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, the swanky town hotel Malmaison was once home to inmates rather than intellectuals in the Victorian era.

If spending a night in jail seems like a novel adventure, then Karosta Prison in Liepaja, Latvia, is the place to get scared stiff (plus, it's better than actually getting arrested). This former KGB lock up served as an incarcerating institution for regiment-breaching Soviet soldiers and has maintained its hard edge even after the prison became inactive in 1997. Visitors can opt for one of four levels of scariness during their stay - ranging from getting shouted at by hotel staffers to full-on solitary confinement.

The good citizens of The Daily Meal put together a list of their favorite spooky-yet-hospitable hotels which, in previous iterations, housed some of the world's most interesting inmates.

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Best Amusement Park Food (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-07-01T07:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Family, Food + Drink

Dalboz17/Flickr

Calling all thrill seekers! Though lunch is probably the last thing on people's minds before they hop aboard some gravity-defying coaster, but spending a day hitting the rides can definitely work up an appetite. Why settle for lackluster theme park standards like greasy chicken legs and over boiled hot dogs when parks across the country offer not only your adrenaline fix, but delicious eats to boot?
Calling all thrill seekers! Though lunch is probably the last thing on people's minds before they hop aboard some gravity-defying coaster, but spending a day hitting the rides can definitely work up an appetite. Why settle for lackluster theme park standards like greasy chicken legs and over boiled hot dogs when parks across the country offer not only your adrenaline fix, but delicious eats to boot?

Find award-winning food at Knoebel's Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. The park has received Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Best Food for the past 13 years. Or chow down on fried chicken, homemade biscuits, and boysenberry pie at Ms. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant at Knott's Berry Farm- a classic since 1934.

Or for those that want to go high class, use connections to get invited to Club 33 at Disneyland. With a chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and seasonal menu offerings, people can expect a fine dining experience that is anything but childlike. Plus, take note; it's the only place in the park where alcohol is served.

And at Universal Studios Hollywood, make sure to eat at The International Café. Not only is it the 2010 recipient of the prestigious Santé Award, but it's also the only restaurant located within a theme park to garner the prize.

So who says all amusement park food has to be trite and stomach-ache-inducing? After all, it's the roller coasters that should be making you hurl, not the food. So forget the cotton candy and skip the cheese fries. Our friends at The Daily Meal have rounded up ten theme park eats so delicious, they make admission prices more than worth it.

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Puerto Rico's Unknown Beaches--And Where to Eat While There (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-06-29T09:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Beach

TPWP/Flickr

Puerto Rico, one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean, is a quick 3.5-hour flight from the United States. While visitors religiously head off to Puerto Rico for an easy escape year-round, summer is the perfect time to experience the sun and sand on a budget.

Puerto Rico, one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean, is a quick 3.5-hour flight from the United States. While visitors religiously head off to Puerto Rico for an easy escape year-round, summer is the perfect time to experience the sun and sand on a budget.

Just outside Puerto Rico's peak tourist season, summer sees plenty of discounted hotel rooms and flights for those savvy tourists who can stand a bit more heat. (Think 20% off hotel stays and flights from JFK starting at $335 - pretty great considering rising gas prices!)

Most folks base themselves in San Juan, a dizzying merry-go-round of fast-paced action focusing on high-end dining and high-stakes casinos. But, with almost 300 miles of coastline, it's outside of San Juan that the beach action and the culinary scene have reached new heights. In these off-the-beaten-path spots, visitors are guaranteed not only the ultimate in sand and sea, but also in culinary gems.

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8 Destinations for the Solo Traveler (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-06-26T07:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks, Food + Drink

Wally Hartshorn/Flickr

As with everything else, traveling alone has its pros and cons. Pros: No scheduling conflicts, you can choose every meal, not to mention grab all the glory of travel triumphs (and pitfalls) all to yourself. Cons: Safety is paramount, and there is the ever lingering feeling of loneliness that can turn a fabulous, delicious dinner into a slow form of torture.

As with everything else, traveling alone has its pros and cons. Pros: No scheduling conflicts, you can choose every meal, not to mention grab all the glory of travel triumphs (and pitfalls) all to yourself. Cons: Safety is paramount, and there is the ever lingering feeling of loneliness that can turn a fabulous, delicious dinner into a slow form of torture.

But to let those totally surmountable problems stop you from lounging in Iceland's thermal baths, tucking into a heaping helping of poutine, or pensively staring out on stunning fjords seems ill-advised. The trick is to plan ahead.

Ask the hotel's concierge for a restaurant recommendation, for example, and sit at the bar. Pick the bartender's mind about what's not to be missed and what can easily be skipped. Standing in line at a bakery or to buy tickets for an event is another perfect place to strike up conversation. Getting a local's take on where to go and what to eat makes for great adventures (and stories).

Certain destinations are better for solo travelers than others, though, depending on language barriers, easy-to-understand currency, built-in activities, or food so good you'll forget you're sitting there on your own. Australia has these qualities in spades and was ranked the 18th safest country on the Global Peace Index. Likewise, traveling alone in Costa Rica is among the easiest and most fun trips to plan, from zip lining and chilling on the beach to snacking on plantains.

Whether you're an outdoor adventurer or a culinary explorer, there are amazing trips just waiting for you (and you alone).

Here are The Daily Meal's picks for the best trips to experience solo.

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10 Best Beachside Bars In America (PHOTOS)

The Daily Meal — 2011-06-23T07:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Food + Drink

Four Seasons at Hualalai

With the advent of summer, the basic question remains: What's a good place to grab a post-beach beverage?With the advent of summer, the basic question remains: What's a good place to grab a post-beach beverage?

We here at AOL Travel turned to the experts at The Daily Meal, who specialize in all things food and drink, to get a glimpse at their favorite spots around the country.

So what makes a good beach bar in their book? Breathtaking seascape views, a sizzling scene, and stellar cocktails. Places like Honolulu's House Without A Key, which serves up a perfectly blended Trader Vic's 1944 Mai Tai, or The Bar at Private Sunset Beach, the scene-y seaside escape at Ian Schrager's latest boutique hotel.

Other right-on-the-beach favorites include San Francisco's Beach Chalet, a 1925 original with a Bible-sized drink menu, and Cape Cod's Beachcomber, known for its jumbo-sized Goombay Smash.

Here are 10 of The Daily Meal's quintessential list. But what about your favorites around the country? Leave it in comments!

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