Compared to other parts of the country, Southern California doesn't really have a lot of great places to escape to on weekends. Truthfully there's amazing terrain all around us but really very few destinations that I can see wanting to escape to vs just doing day trips. While I've been to Palm Springs several times now, there's another answer that's even closer - Lake Arrowhead. It's quite literally a world apart and while it shares a similar elevation and crisp clean mountain air as Big Bear... it's a completely different experience.

Just a few years ago, the topic of "Marijuana Tourism" was something of a joke exchanged between college guys dreaming of visiting Amsterdam. Weed, cannabis, marijuana - whatever you want to call it, was something illicit for most Americans despite the fact that a significant percentage of our population either actively consumed it or had in the past. Even those who didn't, wondered what it might be like to do so again in a safe environment free from the risk of arrest. Today, recreational marijuana is legal to different degrees in nine different states and territories including: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Washington state, and Washington D.C. Because of this rapidly changing landscape and the promise of more states to follow in subsequent election years, the concept of people traveling to partake in some herbal refreshment has become a real trend for the travel industry. This is true for people planning vacations from neighboring states as well as local visitors looking to explore travel options that include cannabis culture the same tourism opportunities cater to people wanting to visit breweries, distilleries and vineyards.

High West Distillery was founded in by David Perkins and his wife, Jane. The former biochemist was inspired to open his own distillery after becoming intrigued by the parallels between distilling processes and his own work in biochemistry. This inspiration struck during a visit to Maker's Mark in Kentucky and soon the pair relocated to Park City, Utah because of David's love for the Old West and the town's history lost whiskey history. When opened in 2006, High West became the first legal distillery to open in Utah since 1870 and has quickly grown from a work of passion to one of the top craft whiskey distilleries in the United States.

Carnival Cruise Line unveiled several exciting new food and beverage concepts aboard its highly anticipated Mardi Gras, set to debut in 2020, along with further details on the extensive offerings available within the ship’s Lido and Summer Landing zones.

Opting for a cruise on the Mediterranean Sea this summer is a sure-fire way of making sure that you will have the perfect vacation experience. We've sailed often in the Caribbean and even explored Alaska and the maritime provinces of Canada but the Mediteranean is at the top of our list now. 

I'm privileged to live out west where there's tons of wide open public land, but for the rest of you guys - off road adventures are limited to private parks. For those in South West Florida, Florida Tracks and Trails is the place to go. With miles of trails ranging from compete mud holes to well packed sand, a beach area complete with tiki bar, paintball, and off road racing tracks this place pretty much has it all.

I visit Florida at least a couple times per year and we generally spend time enjoying the sand and water on the edges of the state. Seldom do we get to explore the swamps and murky water where the wild things roam. It's a shame really, Florida is mostly swamp and Forrest land that is filled with wild animals. That land played an essential role in the creating of the state that we know today. From alligators to hogs brought by the Spanish to cows brought by the Crackers there's way more to Florida's rich history and natural beauty than just it's spectacular beaches. We got a chance to explore some of this with Babcock Ranch Eco Tours and their one-of-a-kind "swamp buggy"...

Punta Gorda and Manasota Key area is one of my favorite parts of South West Florida. It's stuck right in the middle between Tampa and Fort Meyers and is the perfect place to take a deep breath and relax. While there are many lodging options here, this time we were hosted by the fun and kitchy WannaB Inn located at the southern end of Manasota Key, just before the entrance to Stump Pass Beach. It's a restored classic American beach resort with 80 rooms spanning seven different areas between Lemon Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. I've never in my life written a review where the lead photo is from my bathroom window, but that's exactly where I shot the photo above. This area is just simply beautiful beyond belief.

Cycling can be a great way to improve your general fitness as it has many health benefits, such as improving your muscle strength and core fitness levels. What’s more, cycling makes for an exciting way to travel when you go abroad, with many self-guided cycling trips available to help you to see the most beautiful sights in Europe.

For most people, a visit to Palm Springs involves fine dining, shopping, touring mid-century modern architecture, and golf. For me, Palm Springs represents all of that, but also a home base for some awesome off-road adventure. Not everyone has a good truck or the skills needed to navigate beyond the reach of pavement and road signs. That's why I'm a big advocate of taking a Jeep tour from a trusted operator. Desert Adventures Red Jeep Tours is the biggest operator in the area and based on our tour with Lane and her Jeep, "Red Cloud" we can understand why.

Millennial and hipsters are changing the face of travel and nowhere is that more evident than Palm Springs due to the huge popularity of the Coachella Music Festival. For better or worse, as this two week festival grows bigger each year and brings more people out to the desert, Palm Springs it becoming a year-round destination for hipsters. Hotel Paseo, located in Palm Desert - about half way between the Cochella Polo Grounds in Indio and Palm Springs in the north end of the valley is in a perfect location to take advantage of this trend. We stayed there last month as part of a #MenWhoBlog trip and while it has all the elements that millennial would love - avocado toast, air stream trailers, and giant connect for games... it was laid back enough to not be obnoxiously hipster.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country featuring mountains, ocean views, and lush green jungle. It offers exciting things to do and is also perfect for a more laid back vacation for a group of guys looking for something different.

It doesn’t matter where you’re going on vacation, trips often have some of the same things in common. There are visits to the beach, if you’re near the coast, trips to local museums, and probably a little shopping. There’s nothing wrong with doing as the rest of the tourists do, but why not try something a little different?

Consistently ranked among the world’s top places to visit, Mexico City is a global capital welcoming more than 12.5 million visitors each year with  its renowned cuisine, vibrant culture, rich history, unique neighborhoods and modern-day travel offerings. A sprawling metropolis bursting with a vibrant personality  blending  old and new, there are over a dozen distinct neighborhoods or “colonias” each with their own character and charm.

Mexico City is a destination that most Americans probably don't think about, but it is high on my list of places to visit. Despite the reputation of this country in the news, the capital is actually a cosmopolitan global city with lots to offer in terms of history, culture, food... and yes drinks. The folks at Ignacia Guest House sent us the recipe for their Mango and Mezcal Cocktail served during their complimentary daily cocktail hour.

The iconic JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort has completed its comprehensive $320 million transformation project, ushering in a new era of luxury in southwest Florida and beyond. Guests who visit this stunning resort situated on three miles of pristine sands and sparkling Gulf waters will enjoy the new Lanai Tower with more than 100,000 square feet of technologically integrated meeting and event space, exciting culinary concepts, 12,000 sq. ft entertainment center, re-imagined historic Lanai Suites and the debut of the “Paradise by Sirene experience, a curated escape exclusively for adults.

 Carnival Sunshine has launched a schedule of four- to 11-day voyages from the Port of Charleston, South Carolina. The ship will become the newest ship to operate year-round cruises from that port. Charleston, SC is a great port that we love to visit and this offers some awesome options for guys looking to do a great golf mancation to the Bahamas on one of our favorite cruise ships.

I love visiting Mexico, no not just the tourist spots – but going off the beaten path, trying local food and visiting local merchants. While most people in Mexico speak enough English to make this possible, knowing Spanish better would make my travels cheaper, easier, and safer. That’s why I was excited to partner with Babbel to test out their service and hopefully improve my Spanish to the point where I no longer feel like I need to have a friend with me to help translate.

Canada has a reputation for being overly polite and welcoming to outsiders. For the most part that's an accurate assessment but there are some things that any visitor to the country needs to know before traveling there.

I generally don't get much stay in where I stay when traveling. Most of my travel arrangements are made by someone else and since they are paying I generally don't care as long as it's safe, clean and comfortable. That being said however, certain things make my stay that much better. A good desk space, a comfortable chair, plenty of USB and power outlets and good - easily accessible food options that aren't over priced. In the past, none of that would have described Marriott's core brand and absolutely nobody would have described it as stylish. For me personally, the Marriott brand wasn't "bad" it was just old and out of touch. Through pure luck though, this year I've had the chance to stay in several different Marriott locations at different parts of the country and it's clear that the brand is back in a good way!