Author: Maureen Katz

The New York City Ferry System is one of the best ways to travel around New York City. I recently had an appointment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Instead of fighting the absolute worst traffic on the Belt Parkway, my husband Jonathan and I took the East River Ferry and the South Brooklyn Ferry.  We started on the East River route at East 34th Street. The last stop on this route was Wall Street/Pier 11, a major hub; we then made the connection to the South Brooklyn Ferry to Bay Ridge. Each segment costs a very reasonable…

A visit to Nice is a serene experience, especially in the springtime. The city, usually bustling with tourists, is a tranquil haven during this season. My husband Jon and I, frequent travelers to the Cote D’Azur, have recently discovered a gem – the Sheraton Nice Airport Hotel. This conveniently located hotel, just across the street from the airport, offers a peaceful retreat. It’s a short walk from the Nice Saint-Augustine train station (trains to Monte Carlo and Cannes) and the Grand Arenas tram stop, making it an ideal base for exploring the city and its beaches. We spent two days…

It is February on Long Island, New York, and winter is still in full force. A one-week cruise in the Caribbean is a cure for the winter blues. Our cruise began in Tampa, Florida, where we stayed two nights at the Current Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel. We embarked on the Carnival Pride, setting sail for a thrilling three-port extravaganza in the western Caribbean. Our journey began in Tampa, Florida, where we had the unique opportunity to view the ship sailing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. This 430-foot-high and 4.1-mile-long bridge connecting St. Petersburg to Bradenton was a sight…

While the northeast of the United States is covered with snow and below-freezing temperatures, this is a great time to spend the first two weeks of January in New Zealand, where it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere and the days of sunshine are long. New Zealand consists of two islands, the North and South Islands, separated by 14 miles by the Cook Strait. The country has every environmental phenomenon in the world. Glaciers, beaches, rainforests, alpine forests, agricultural plains, mountains, and volcanic craters exist. We began our trip to Auckland, which is New Zealand’s biggest city and boasts that…

Vancouver is an excellent west coast city and seaport in British Columbia. It is Canada’s most ethnically diverse city. My husband, Jon Katz, and I flew to Vancouver non-stop from John F. Kennedy International Airport and round trip on JetBlue. It is approximately a five-and-a-half-hour flight westbound. We spent the first night downtown at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center. We stayed at a different Bonvoy Hotel each night. Our plan for the first day was to rent a car and take a ferry to Vancouver Island. British Columbia Ferries provides all passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island…

Edinburgh is a terrific walking city, famous for its cobblestone streets. It is compact and beautiful, with interesting architecture and gardens. It is a university town and also the capital of Scotland.My husband Jonathan Katz and I have visited this historical city twice on one-day trips. It is necessary to stay two or three days to cover the entire city. In addition, many day trips are available to see other interesting parts just outside the city, such as a tour of the Scottish Highlands. On this trip, we stayed at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa, which is centrally located…

Barcelona is a very unique tourist area in Spain. It is a major European city, along with being a lovely seaport town, and it has beautiful beaches and is elegant. One of our favorite things is walking down the main tourist thoroughfare, La Rambla. This most famous street in Barcelona runs from the Plaça de Catalunya to the port, and it is packed with street cafes and statuesque performers. Along this route is a wonderful place called Mercat de la Boqueria. This market has the freshest seafood, fruit, vegetables, meat, cheeses, nuts, wines, beer, and tapas; the displays are incredible.…

During the earliest years of JetBlue Airways, the company offered an incredible employee incentive. This incentive was an all-expense paid trip to Toulouse, France, for a group of employees to bring back their brand new Airbus 320 aircraft from the Airbus Factory in Toulouse to JFK International Airport. There were several ways to be chosen for these flights. One way was through a contest to name the airplane for every new aircraft delivery. The name had to have the color blue in it, and if the name was chosen, the employee was rewarded with this very special incentive trip to…

A two-week Caribbean cruise in February is wonderful! It is an excellent way to escape winter for a couple of weeks. My husband Jonathan and I left out of Tampa, Florida, on the Carnival Pride. It was on Super Bowl Sunday, so Super Bowl parties and many other events were happening throughout the ship. The first three days were spent at sea to sail as far south to warm weather to begin our island hopping. This may seem too long, but the Carnival Cruise Lines has activities all day and night; there is no time for boredom on sea days. A…

When everyone thinks of Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest comes to mind. But this city is also famous for its many Christmas markets. The primary market is in the Old Town. In the city center on Marienplatz are endless stalls along the pedestrian mall that are very festive. This place is a Christmas paradise, from Gluhwein (hot wine) to chocolates and other sweet foods. There are stalls with beautiful holiday ornaments, gloves, hats, scarves, and other German food specialties. The decorations are incredible; it is even more illuminated and spectacular at night. Walking through this area, you will encounter the famous Hofbrauhaus…