By Lani Gering You all are probably wondering what’s up with that headline besides being very creative J…I just wanted to get your attention since there are two “firsts” coming to the Harbor this month. The announcement of these events caught my attention since I have a keen interest in both. The Boat Show Being involved with an avid sailor who is always looking for the next bigger vessel, I am pretty psyched that the Inaugural DC Boat Show is coming to National Harbor! It will be here all weekend from the 5th to the 7th. May traditionally is the beginning of boating season in the DMV and this show comes in on the heels of the spring shows in Annapolis in April. At the time of this writing there should be 40 boat dealers who will be displaying over 300 boats on land and in water. Boat shows give you the opportunity to climb aboard a wide variety of vessels from sail to power (both pre-owned and new) and the chance to place an immediate sale or to order. Tour the boats, grab food and drinks, listen to live music throughout the show, peruse the vendor tents for the latest in boating gear, meet the experts, and commune with boaters from local and far away harbors! The show will have a lot to offer in the way of entertainment with live music in three locations throughout the weekend. A beach party is scheduled for Saturday, the 6th where musician Shawn Owen will play off the back of a Lagoon Catamaran. Bobby McKey’s Dueling Pianos will be performing in the afternoon in Spirit Park and more than 15 live musicians will perform throughout the weekend at various locations in the show! Pernod Ricard, the Official Spirits Sponsor, will be providing drinks from their vast portfolio…
By Alexander Britell The Caribbean’s most legendary beach bar hotel has a long-awaited reopening date. The Sandcastle at Soggy Dollar, the boutique beach hotel at the world-famous Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, will begin welcoming back guests on May 15, the Soggy Dollar confirmed. “We are very excited to be reopening Sandcastle at Soggy Dollar,” the property said in a statement. For now, reservations will only be accepted six months in advance of arrival; all guests must be a minimum of 25 years old, the hotel said. Since 1970, nestled on the pristine white sands of White Bay, Sandcastle Hotel, located at the world-famous Soggy Dollar is the ultimate Caribbean beach bar resort. With two beachfront cottages, two garden cottages, and two garden view rooms with exclusive beach access and onsite bar and restaurant privileges … it’s no wonder they have been voted number one by USA Today “10 Best” year after year. It is a triumphant return for a beloved boutique hotel that has been shuttered since Hurricane Irma back in 2017. Stay in White Bay … keep it shady … stay at Soggy! For more, visit soggydollar.com/hotel. Getting There! You can fly either into Tortola (Beef Island Airport) or St. Thomas. Getting to Soggy Dollar is easiest from Tortola, but airline fare variations and frequent flyer programs may make St. Thomas a more practical point-of-departure. From Tortola you will need to get to West End Tortola and you’ll take either the ferry or a chartered boat to Jost Van Dyke. To ensure catching the last ferry to Jost Van Dyke (6pm) you should arrive at Beef Island not later than 4pm. If this not possible, we will be glad to assist you in making arrangements for you to stay at a guest…
By Scott Dicken Are you feeling adventurous? Does driving in South Africa not quench your thirst because it isn’t adventurous enough? Are other tourist hotspots like Zambia and Botswana too much too soon? If the answers to all these questions are ‘yes,’ then Namibia might just be the right place for you to shake off the shackles of organized overlanding and hit the open road on a self-drive tour. Namibia is a fantastic place for a first-timer experiencing southern Africa: its tourist infrastructure is well-developed, and you won’t struggle to find both budget and high-end accommodation along any of the routes you might pick. An entire tourist industry has sprung up in Namibia around the adventurous self-driver, and you’ll find plenty of resources and local companies able to support your planning and booking process (although you won’t necessarily need them). The major car rental companies all operate out of Windhoek’s international airport and provide basic Namibia-specific driver training before you leave. Also, the road infrastructure is as simple as they come, meaning it’s near impossible to get lost. Where to go: A simple ‘self-drive Namibia’ google search will immediately give you an abundance of ideas of possible routes. The most popular tends to be a classic route encompassing Windhoek, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Damaraland, Etosha National Park and Okinjima in that order. Here’s why: The Classic self-drive route is designed to make sure that you get a well-rounded tour of the country taking in most of the main sights and activities. In Sossusvlei, you get the world-famous dunes; Swakopmund is the capital of adventure where you can kayak with seals in the ocean and go sand-boarding; Damaraland gives you the opportunity to search for rare desert-adapted elephants and rhinos whilst relaxing in luxury lodges; Etosha is the most famous of Namibia’s game…
By Julie Reardon Kentucky may have its Derby and celebrities preening for national news in their party hats sipping mint juleps, but in Virginia, the first Saturday in May has always been about the Virginia Gold Cup. And the hats are just as fine. With Virginia’s only flat track open for its boutique summer season, Virginia’s love affair with horses runs longer and deeper than Kentucky’s. We’re starting to produce some decent whiskey locally and young girls still hope to find a pony under the Christmas tree, so the cowboy ballad by the legendary Tom T. Hall about older whiskey, younger women and faster horses could have been written about our state. Kentucky’s famous horse race, first run in 1875, may be the country’s best-known equestrian event, but George Washington was hunting hounds here in Virginia and colonials were racing horses before Kentucky was even settled. And here in suburban Northern Virginia, the Kentucky Derby is held on Gold Cup day, not the reverse. On Saturday May 6th, the Derby will have to share top billing with the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race meet, held at Great Meadow, The Plains, VA. Fast Horses With crowds of over 40,000 in attendance, the Gold Cup is to Washington D.C. what the Derby is to Kentucky: a premiere social and sporting events. Arrangements and tailgating parties are planned months, even years, in advance; prime tailgating and railside boxes are often passed down in wills. Good ones are usually sold out long before race day. You can, however, still get general admission tickets up until race day starting at $100 for a car pass that admits 6 by contacting http://www.VAGOLDCUP.com or calling 540-347-2612. If you have been invited to a party on Members Hill, there is a dress code you’re expected to adhere to,…
By Jeremy Cox, Bay Journal News Service Bald eagles are conservation darlings. Once lurching toward extinction, eagles flew off the endangered species list as the number of mating pairs nationwide soared from a low of a few hundred in the 1960s to nearly 10,000 by 2010. And the Chesapeake Bay region has continued to burnish its reputation as one of the country’s top bald eagle breeding grounds, registering a nearly fivefold leap in paired males and females during the past two decades. But can there be too much of a good thing? Perhaps so, according to one of the region’s leading avian researchers. Bryan Watts, founder and director of the Center for Conservation Biology at Virginia’s College of William and Mary, has authored dozens of academic papers on bald eagles over a more than 30-year career. In the past 20 years or so, he said, he has documented a shift in the behavior of adult males during the nesting season. The change was subtle at first. But as Watts continued to monitor the phenomenon, he realized that he was watching a population grappling with the limits of its recovery. “It’s a natural part of the recovery process,” he said. “The species are just going to have to work it out for themselves.” The main cause of the eagles’ near demise half a century ago, experts say, was the widespread use of the pesticide DDT, which caused the shells of eggs to become too thin to withstand incubation. Its’ banning in 1972, coupled with water pollution crackdowns, habitat restoration and reintroduction programs, are credited with bolstering the rebound. Along the Chesapeake Bay and the tidal reaches of its rivers, the eagle population exploded. At one point, their numbers were doubling every eight years, Watts said. “It’s obvious when you’re in that…
By Alexander Brittell In case you haven’t been following, the historic downtown of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas is in the midst of a renaissance. There is a new energy here, new life in these centuries-old streets and a dramatic waterfront transformation project undertaken by the USVI Department of Public Works. And now, perhaps most importantly, there’s a very cool new hotel. For the first time in more than two decades, St. Thomas as a new hotel — and, crucially, it’s in the heart of historic Charlotte Amalie. It’s called the Pink Palm, and it’s a hip, retro-chic hotel that’s the sister hotel to the American Beech hotel in Long Island, NY. The 27-room hotel, which began welcoming guests last month, is a significant boost to downtown Charlotte Amalie, with a bright, colorful, fun aesthetic that’s a new kind of hotel for the island. “We also have two hotels on the North Fork of Long Island, American Beech and Aqua Beach, and as that area is pretty seasonal to summer and fall, I was looking to open another hotel that was seasonal to winter and spring. I first saw the listing for the property online. There were a couple of other places I was considering, but as soon as I came down to St. Thomas and saw [it], I fell in love,” says Brent Pelton, owner and CEO of the Pink Palm. “We’re the first fully new hotel on the island in over twenty years. We’ve been working to create strong relationships with the local businesses, galleries and restaurants, as well as organizations like the St. Thomas Historical Trust, and overall there is an air of excitement about what’s happening in Charlotte Amalie.” It’s the history that really makes it unique, Pelton says. The hotel is set at what was once Smith’s Fancy, a…
By Julie Reardon Let’s admit it, we all love to peek through the closed doors and through the windows and walled gardens of others, especially the wealthy. There’s a bit of voyeurism in all of us, and online pictures and videos just aren’t the same as immersing ourselves in these private gardens rarely open to the general public. Even if you’re not a gardener, Historic Garden Week in Virginia April 15 – 22 this year, offers a rare chance to visit some of the area’s loveliest estates during a time when they’re all dressed up in spring colors. Historic Garden Week is a statewide event, and the only statewide event of its kind in the country; this is the 90th year it’s been held. It’s sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia and its local chapters. During this special week in April, 250 of the most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks statewide will be open during “America’s Largest Open House.” This 8-day event provides visitors a unique opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at the peak of Virginia’s springtime color, as well as beautiful houses and historic sites sparkling with over 2,000 flower arrangements created by Garden Club of Virginia members. In the hunt country of the northern Blue Ridge, take in some or all of the homes open on several different tours scheduled for April 15 – 22. Beginning on Saturday April 15th homes in Warren County near Front Royal will be open for the tour, the same day as Alexandria’s homes are open. Skip to Wednesday the 19th and visit the open houses of the Warrenton garden club in and around that town in Fauquier County. On Thursday and Friday April 20-21 homes in the Middleburg area open their doors and gardens for you, and on Saturday the…
By Michaela Watkins The 2023 Spring Shows Are Coming Bay Bridge Boat Show – April 14th-16th Spring Sailboat Show – April 28th-30th The Annapolis Boat Shows, producer of in-water sail and powerboat shows for over 50 years, launched a new website and updated their brand in February. With a focus on their continued growth and enhancing the boat show experience, the new website features a streamlined design that offers easy navigation, a user-friendly interface, and a mobile experience that convey the unique experiences visitors from around the world have come to expect when attending the shows. “Our old website was terrific – when we launched it. It’s great to have retired it in favor of this new site. It loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and is a great resource for planning a visit to our shows.” said Mary Ewenson. “With the supply chain issues easing up, we’re expecting a big increase in the number of boats at all four of our shows as well as many new exhibitors. The new website is launching at the perfect time.” The launch came just two months prior to the spring shows: Bay Bridge Boat Show (April 14-16) and Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show (April 28-30). Set at the foot of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at the Bay Bridge Marina, the Bay Bridge Boat Show will feature a large selection of new and brokerage powerboats, as well as the latest in equipment, accessories, and apparel. Favorites such as PropTalk’s Demo Dock and Boat U.S. Foundation “On-Water Training” will return, and new features for 2023 are slated to be announced in the coming weeks. Closing out the month of April is the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, which features new and brokerage boats including catamarans, monohulls, family cruisers, daysailers, and inflatables. Guests may meet with boating…
By Scott Dicken Overlanding Adventures! I’m a traveler that can’t sit still for more than 10 minutes. I love being on the go and want to maximize my time. Seeing as much as feasibly possible on every trip is a primary objective. Overlanding, best described as a self (or group)-reliant adventure to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal, is a great way to achieve this; you only spend a couple of days in each place, and you get to meet new people; an extrovert’s dream. My overland adventures have taken several different forms including boats, motorized rickshaws, and rental cars; but for this particular article I’m focusing on my adventures in Africa on overland trucks. There’s something special about overland trucking in Africa. Driving through remote villages and setting up camp as the sun goes down each day has a special allure. The best news is that over the past 10-15 years there’s been a proliferation of companies offering overland experiences, which has substantially driven down prices. However, overlanding isn’t for everyone; before booking you should know more about what overlanding is, research companies in detail and make sure you pick one that best meets your particular style. In this article, we start that research together. The Pros of Overland Trucking in Africa Scenery and Sunsets: You’ll get to see parts of Africa that the average tourist doesn’t visit, wake up to some of the best sunrises, and watch some of the best sunsets anywhere in the World. New Experiences: Getting off the beaten path means you’ll experience a style of holiday, and a style of activities, you don’t normally experience on typical package holidays. You could be hot air ballooning above the Masai Mara one minute and white water rafting the Nile the next. Overland trips…
By Lani Gering Wow! Can you all believe that it has been 15 years since National Harbor made its debut? Those years certainly flew by. I remember when Milt Peterson first unveiled his plan for the project and the hullabaloo that ensued afterward, most specially on the Alexandria side of the Potomac. Comments like “He is building a resort that is going to take away our tourist business.” “It is never going to work. Who would want to spend time in Prince George’s County? It is dangerous!” and so on…. Well….no tourist business was taken away from Old Town. In fact, the Gaylord has provided hundreds of thousands of tourists each year to our fair city. Old Town has something the Harbor doesn’t have – hundreds of years of history. I lived in a wonderful condo in the Harbor from 2010 to 2021 and never felt in danger once. In fact, I wish I still lived there but the Economic impact of the pandemic forced my move. When Peterson took on this project he didn’t know that the economy would take a bit of a hit in the early 2000’s. When the downturn occurred he stayed true to his word (unlike many others in the building business) and put his money where his mouth is and kept the project going. After the completion of the Gaylord and the main footprint of the “Heart of the Harbor” – it officially opened on April 1, 2008. We were there at the ceremony and were happy to be part of a little bit of history being made. “When Milt Peterson, first saw the piece of land, he saw something that no one else saw,” said Jon Peterson, CEO of Peterson Companies. “As a developer, we always look to provide what a community is…
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