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Dispatches: El Convento, San Juan
Get thee to a nunnery -- a modern day stay in an old-world convent in Puerto Rico
ISLANDS' Favorite US National Parks are Free this Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day, April 22, with a free visit to a national park. The National Park Foundation is lifting entrance fees to every inch of its 84 million acres of National Parks not just for the day, but for an entire “Earth Week,” April 21 to 29, 2012.
More than 100 national parks usually charge admission fees, so plan on taking advantage of the free week to celebrate the great outdoors at one of these ISLANDS’ favorites:
- Acadia National Park, Maine
- Christiansted National Historic Site, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Keys
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
- Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii
- San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
RELATED: Get some expert photo tips for capturing the perfect image at Haleakala National Park.
The Carefree Island
Stress is a life stealer – especially when a heart condition forbids it. To stop worrying, a writer heads for Grand Turk for a lesson in relaxing.
Review: Saveur's Easy Italian Cookbook
The recipes for my favorite Italian meals — that’s all my mom asked for as I headed to Sicily. It seemed like a simple request. But I don’t speak Italian, and I’m no chef, so I returned home with a collection of kitchen disasters.
And then I discovered Saveur’s Easy Italian cookbook for the iPad and iPhone. Its 30 recipes show that many of Italy’s most satisfying foods are also the world’s simplest. Find tips, wine pairings and a breakdown of the lore of Italian food without leaving home — did you know minestrone means big soup? Cook up pasta with lamb and almond pesto, and you too can pretend to be in Palermo shouting “Mangia! Mangia!
Review: Sleep Tight with the Wave Cave
When I was a teenager, no beach was too far. No bed was no problem. So long as surfable waves unfurled offshore, I’d happily sleep on the sand. Now I wouldn’t dare. And with the WaveCave, I don’t have to. The travel-ready surfboard bag, made from durable, high-quality materials, unzips into a tent, complete with a mattress and waterproof canopy. Pure luxury for a surfing teen; pure relief for an aging 40-year-old. —Eddy Patricelli
From $220; wavecavesurf.com
Dispatches: From the Grenadines
“Capt. Silas tells me to watch my head as the solid wood boom swings across our stern. This Carriacou sloop is rugged and fast, hand-built by nautical craftsmen, grizzled and tough like the masterpieces they construct. Taught by his father, Silas has been sailing the Caribbean’s Grenadine islands since he was 8. Now 32, he can smell direction on the wind, deftly maneuvering through the Tobago Cays, navigating submerged coral heads that could chew through a wooden boat like a T-Rex-size termite.
Despite all this rugged grooming, our intrepid captain commands a vessel dubbed The Pink Lady, his pale-pink polo shirt and the boat’s Barbie-pink hull a nod to his all-female racing crew and Silas’ daily bit of pride swallowing. ‘I just have to remember to change my shirt before I go home,’ he says. The color of the boat doesn’t characterize the captain, but it sure can embarrass him.” —Photographer Zach Stovall
More Than Chocolate
For many Trinidadians, cocoa means much more than chocolate: it's the island's history, and a way of life.
Review: Booq's Cobra Pack
Don’t call it a backpack. Booq’s Cobra pack is like Fort Knox for your electronics. These days, travelers tend to bring more electronics than underwear on trips. The pack’s waterproof zippers, rugged nylon exterior, water-resistant rubberized bottom and rigid-frame laptop compartment lined with soft fabrics let you rest easy when the flight attendant forces you to stuff your bag in a tiny overhead bin.
Layover Remedies: Aruba
We think layovers have an undeserved bad rap—while they usually conjure images of bored children, uncomfortable seating, and over-priced airport food, we prefer to look towards the exit sign. Here's what to do with half a day in Aruba.
How to Do St. Kitts in 4 Days
The perfect 4-day itinerary for St. Kitts.
"It’s easy to dismiss all Caribbean islands as being the same, but St. Kitts surprised me with its rich culture, delicious food and beautiful shorelines. For a small isle, there’s no shortage of things to do.." —Jon Whittle, photographer
World's Greatest Escapes: Awake in Wonder on the Great Barrier Reef
Sleep in one of the world's natural wonders at Fantasea Reefworld in Queensland, Australia—a boat moored literally on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef.

















