Below:

• This week's highlight - Etretat Cliffs
• Where to Next? Telluride!
• Q&A - How far in advance should I plan for ... Alaska, Thailand, Costa Rica
• Travel Updates
• P.S. Favorite Articles
• This week's poll

ETRETAT CLIFFS

A beautiful walk on cliffs overlooking the water is always yes for me. 

Often visitors head to this area of France to learn about WWII history in Normandy. Those that don't look a little further miss out on a breathtaking place. 

The Entretat Cliffs. 

The natural formations include a 200+ foot high aiguille, the rock on the right that is jutting out of the water like a needle. Also two natural arches:

the Porte d’Aval (130 feet high) and the Manneporte (160 feet high).

Many French writers and impressionist painters, including Claude Monet were inspired by Etretat. Monet's presence is memorialized in a tribute made out of twigs by

Wiktor Szostalo in the Les Jardins d’Étretat. 

(I'm not a painter, but the photo below has me wanting to

break out watercolors and paint this scene.)

credit: Dwell

Your options include hiking in or taking a boat. 

To see the Falaise d’Aval by walking it will bring you to the beautiful 

Chemin des Douaniers (coastal path). You can find the hiking routes on AllTrails.

Notes: 

• There are no barriers along the cliff walk. So both be careful and don't bring your children. 
• People often walk through the arches during low tide. If you do, check out the tidal calendar ahead of time - it is dangerous to get caught as the tide comes back in. 
• As with many hikes, the earlier you go, the fewer people you will see. 

When visiting, consider staying at Honfleur, a charming fishing village. I have a few favorite hotels nearby, including one just a bit out of town, 

Le Domaine d'Ablon.  

Of course with VIP perks included when I book it for you. 

Their half-timbered buildings with sloping thatched roofs hide interiors with modern comforts - king-sized beds with luxury sheets and large bathrooms with Bvulgari bath products. Their property also has orchards, stables and a kitchen garden.

credit: Stephane Leroy, Le Domaine d'Ablon

TELLURIDE

One of my clients with a summer birthday celebrated her 50th in a big way. By renting this stunning house in Telluride and inviting eight of her best friends. They e-mountain biked, had massages, did yoga, ate delicious meals prepared by a fabulous private chef, enjoyed a night on a rooftop in Telluride, had a photo shoot with a famous photographer and planned an epic day - with a helicopter to hike high in the San Juan mountains followed by lunch in a remote mountain hut. As sometimes happens with helicopters, there had to be a few last minute changes. The ladies rolled with it and had a magical day. 

It was so fun to make this happen! It is equally fun to brainstorm with you to design whatever your dream experience happens to be. Looking ahead at your big birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations, what do you want to do? Start dreaming and then start planning. Some simple questions to consider:

• What type of vibe - adventurous, fun, relaxing, luxuriating, active? (or all of the above!)
• With who?
• Where?
• When?

Your canvas is blank and together we collaborate to imagine the possibilities and make it happen. 

Question:

How far ahead should I plan a trip to Alaska in the summer? What about Thailand or Costa Rica during winter break?

Answer:

I often begin answers with “it depends…” And in this case it does depend. If you are wedded to going to the best places, which often times don’t have a large number of rooms, you will want to plan ahead. If you are the type of person who hears the hotel you want is sold out and you say “ok what’s the next best?” then you have a bit more time. 

Alaska’s popularity in the summer has always been high. Add to that the extra demand from the pandemic (because it's in the US) and the fact that the best lodges have few rooms. They often are booked solid for the prime summer dates 9+ months ahead. I suggest a 11-12+ months ahead. 

Thailand, especially the southern beaches, is a very popular winter break destination with people from all over the world, so you are not competing with just Americans for space. I also suggest planning a year+ in advance if you plan to go to the south. You’ll have no issue with availability in Bangkok or Chiang Mai that far ahead and you’ll be so happy to have your trip planned!

For Costa Rica, you could plan a bit less than a year in advance. Some favorite properties like Nayara and Four Seasons are on the larger side which helps. But if you want one of the new 2 bedroom tented camps at Nayara book it as soon as possible. 

Heads up from my experience checking in with Iberia yesterday...

I noticed the printed boarding pass I was given at the Iberia counter did not have TSA Pre written on it*. I asked the agent and was told “Iberia doesn’t do TSA Precheck.” 

Reaching back into my memory I have a vague recollection of knowing that some airlines don’t do it, but I had never experienced it personally. Especially in a US airport. So I had to wait in the long line. But I also learned that there were no TSA Pre staff at International Terminal E at the time, so the TSA Pre line wasn’t open anyway. Good to know if you count on TSA Pre and normally cut it close on arrival. 

Then while waiting in the regular line, the agents said they were doing a trial of a new system. The system is this - you stand 2 by 2 and walk together through a fairly open area (surrounded by those light gates) and are told not to stop. An agent with a trained dog walks behind you perpendicular to the way you are going. If the dog doesn’t react you are free to go, and it’s as if you have TSA Pre - meaning leave your shoes on and your computers in the bags. However when the man behind me walked through the dog started pulling toward him and whimpering. Clearly noticing something. He was stopped and questioned. I don’t know what happened next. I'm curious if you've experienced this in any other US airports?

*Note: if you have Global Entry or TSA Pre, it must be written on your boarding pass or noted on your e-boarding pass in order for you to be able to go through the TSA Pre line. I once did not realize it until I went to security and had to go back to the agent, so always double check. 

If you have Global Entry and TSA Pre, still consider getting to the airport earlier than you may want to just in case. 

INTERESTING ARTICLES

The Hardest Part of a Family Vacation? Deciding Where to Go, WSJ

10 Best Places to Travel in November, AFAR

A midsummer ramble in the Dolomites, The Washington Post 

The Rise of the Menopause Vacation, WSJ

How old is too old to stay at a youth hostel?, The Washington Post

(If you aren't able to access an NYT, WSJ, Washington Post or Outside Magazine article, send me a note and I'll send it to you in a PDF.)

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