WINE DINE + TRAVEL MAGAZINE

EXPLORING SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

Hola Amigos, we’re back in Spain, our favorite European country, and in a brand new city for us, San Sebastian. We’ll be here for two weeks, so we have a lot of time to explore, but so far the city on the Bay of Biscay, just a stone's throw from France, is impressive....

OUR WEEK IN LEIDEN, HOLLAND: FORMER HOME OF THE PILGRIMS

After a pleasant day of getting a feel for Leiden, it was time to get to work. Our mission was to explore the place where 50 Mayflower passengers lived for nearly a decade before their dangerous but historic voyage 403 years ago. There are no walking tours featuring...

TIME TO GO HOME

Okay, we’ve had enough adventure for a while. After three and a half months of exploring Europe - Ireland to Istanbul - we’re heading home on a 14-hour flight to LAX. Thanks for joining us. We’ll have a few more posts on our amazing Turkey visit soon. We’re home until...

SANTA BARBARA CASTLE IN ALICANTE, SPAIN

OK… let's try this again. Along with my usually lucky Aztec shirt, Mary and I moved on from Cadiz to our lucky city of Alicante, Spain, which has many similarities to San Diego. In this photo, I’m pointing at Alicante’s most famous landmark, Santa Barbara Castle. Its...

SHOWTIME IN CITIAVECHIA, ITALY

We love to cruise on Azamara ships because they are relatively small compared to the behemoths of other major lines. Azamara's four ships each welcome up to 700 passengers. The ship docked next us in Naples, RCCL’s Symphony of the Sea, carries 6680. Big ships do offer...

TOP NEW FEATURES

wdt news & features

IRELAND TO ISTANBUL: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
IRELAND TO ISTANBUL: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

There's no grass growing under our feet — It's time for our Ireland to Istanbul adventure, spanning 36 cities in almost four months. On Friday, Mary and I fly to Fort Lauderdale to board the Celebrity Apex transatlantic to Rotterdam with port stops in Bermuda, Ireland, England, France, and Belgium. We visit Leiden, the home of the Mayflower...

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THE PARIS CITY OF THE DEAD

THE PARIS CITY OF THE DEAD

If you’ve ever visited Paris, you know it’s an intensely colorful city full of life. But beneath this bustling metropolis, there’s a vast city of the dead. The Paris Catacombs are home to the remains of over six million souls. They weren’t always a resting place for the dead. They were originally limestone quarries, opened in the 1st century AD...

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VILLENA WINE COUNTRY PART 3

VILLENA WINE COUNTRY PART 3

The cab ride from Bodega Francisco Mendoza back to Villena was short and uneventful. We didn’t know what to expect at Casa de Felix as we opened the abbreviated wooden door into our apartment. We had left the mini-split's heat pump on since we left around lunchtime, hoping the bedroom would be warm and cozy when we returned from wine tasting. It...

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Wadi Rum: Where Camels & Martians Roam

Our destination was Wadi Rum, a nearly 300-square mile patch of stark, very Martian-like desert in southern Jordan. T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, called Wadi Rum “vast, echoing and God-like.” And the description fits its long desert valleys punctuated by spectacular red sandstone mesas and peaks that change colors with the passing of the moon and sun. It’s both amazingly beautiful and a little spooky.

SANTA BARBARA CASTLE IN ALICANTE, SPAIN

OK… let's try this again. Along with my usually lucky Aztec shirt, Mary and I moved on from Cadiz to our lucky city of Alicante, Spain, which has many similarities to San Diego. In this photo, I’m...

FIRST DAY IN MADRID

We slept until 2:30 in the afternoon. (5:30 am San Diego time) Got up and made our way to Plaza Mayor where we found our favorite calamari sandwich joint. It was a delicious bargain for 3.50 EU. We...

THE WALKING WOUNDED IN ALTEA, SPAIN

We're into our third week in Altea. My wounded ankle has kept us from some things we love to do in this beautiful Costa Blanca village. One is making the formidable hike from our Mediterranean...

Back to the Barossa

 Yesterday, Mary and I escaped the good life shipboard for a wine country adventure in the beautiful, bucolic Barossa Valley, north of Adelaide. It’s been nearly 25 years since we first tasted wine...

Surf’s Up In Morocco

I grew up hearing stories about Morocco from my father, a World War II Army veteran whose unit helped push German General Erwin Rommel - the “Desert Fox” - and his soldiers out of North Africa....

Rough Seas

  By Ron & Mary James Mary and I have had many chats lately about our upcoming booked cruises. We wonder if they will be cancelled as the pandemic persists. We speculate about radical...

Oregon Coast Retreat

Head Lighthouse. The 93-foot-tall brick tower sits at the crest of a narrow windswept bluff that juts nearly a mile into the thrashing ocean. In the wrought iron cradle atop the tower, oil-burning...

A Most Excellent Cuban Adventure

By Kitty Morse Last December, my friend Susan and I bucked conventional wisdom, and headed for Cuba on the spur of the moment. Planning our custom itinerary was a breeze thanks to Vermont-based...

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

San Sebastian, Spain: Upcoming Portugal Spain Adventure Destination 5: July 13 to July 23. We've never visited San Sebastian. The Basque city, set on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, is famed for its...

Our New Blog: Travel Adventures with Ron & Mary

Stay tuned for Wine Dine & Travel's Ron & Mary James's new blog on their travel adventures. Their next adventure begins on August 16, when they begin a three-month exploration of the Iberian Peninsula.

A NEW WORLD OF FRIENDSHIPS

Not that long ago that friends were folks who met in your neighborhood, church, clubs or work. Most were local; long-distance relationships were rarely forged, except for relatives scattered around the country. Today, social media, cheap flights and an explosive increase in cruising have radically...

The Fear of Travel

In today’s world, fear is rampant in almost every aspect of our lives - global warming, the economy, healthcare, international politics, and yes, even travel. Even the unintended consequences of American presidential actions induces fear among travelers. We can’t do too much about most of these...

It’s Always Something

As you read the stories in WDT, you’ll discover certain common threads expressed by our writers. All have to do with a passion for living – a thirst for adventure, beauty, friendship and discovery. Travel takes us out of our comfort zone thrusting us into strange and sometimes risky situations –...

WINE DINE & TRAVEL’S FAVORITE DESTINATION ACCOMODATIONS

INN AT NEWPORT RANCH

It’s funny how fate waves its magic wand to grant a pleasant surprise. Veteran travelers delight in these serendipitous moments, ones never forgotten. Our stay at the Inn at Newport Ranch was one of those. A few days before our road trip began, we received an...

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe: Country Comfort at a Timeless Retreat

I love a hotel with character. When we travel, we avoid the ubiquitous chain, whether or not it’s five-star. So we were very excited as we drove the winding eucalyptus-lined two lane road into Rancho Santa Fe to check into the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, a Southern...

Auberge Saint-Antoine: where history meets hospitality

Perfect is a pretty high bar, and I suppose that one person's perfect is another's pretty good. This hotel made us feel good! Located in the heart of the Old Port in Quebec City, Auberge Saint-Antoine offers guests a historic decor and atmosphere, coupled with...

The Grove Park Inn

Imagine you had a rich aunt with exquisite taste in fabrics, antiques and food. And she owned 19 acres on the banks of an agate green lake. Then imagine a comforting (and elegant) lake house furnished with deeply cushioned sofas fronted by stacks of coffee-table...

INTRODUCING WINE DINE & TRAVEL’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Meet Wine Dine & Travel Magazine’s newest YouTube channel. The video series, produced by our team of veteran travel writers as they explore the world. Many of our Wine Dine & Travel YouTube videos are integrated into the new interactive editions of the magazine. 

EXPLORE THE WORLD

READ ANY OF OUR LASTEST EDITIONS BELOW AND WE THINK YOU’LL AGREE WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER TRAVEL ENTHUSIASTS THAT WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE IS  NOT ONLY THE “BEST FREE MAGAZINE IN THE WORLD.” BUT ONE OF THE GREAT TRAVEL MAGAZINES PERIOD.

WINE DINE + TRAVEL MAGAZINE
Wine Dine and Travel Magazine

WINE DINE & TRAVEL AWARDS

FIRST PLACE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FEATURE 

Since 2013, our first year, Wine Dine & Travel has earned nearly a hundred awards for everything that makes a great magazine. We’ve won top awards in every key category, including editorial, design, humor, photography, and columns. We’re proud we continue to receive these accolades year in and out from the most respected journalism organizations in the nation, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers..

WINE DINE & TRAVEL AWARDS

FIRST PLACE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FEATURE (SATWA) 

53 first place awards. Since 2013, our first year, Wine Dine & Travel has earned nearly a hundred awards for everything that makes a great magazine. We’ve won top awards in every key category, including editorial, design, humor, photography, and columns. We’re proud we continue to receive these accolades year in and out from the most respected journalism organizations in the nation, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers.

WINE DINE & TRAVEL AWARDS

FIRST PLACE FOR FEATURE STORY LAYOUT 

Since 2013, our first year, Wine Dine & Travel has earned nearly a hundred awards for everything that makes a great magazine. We’ve won top awards in every key category, including editorial, design, humor, photography, and columns. We’re proud we continue to receive these accolades year in and out from the most respected journalism organizations in the nation, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers..

WINE DINE & TRAVEL AWARDS

FIRST PLACE MAGAZINE FOOD STORY 

Since 2013, our first year, Wine Dine & Travel has earned nearly a hundred awards for everything that makes a great magazine. We’ve won top awards in every key category, including editorial, design, humor, photography, and columns. We’re proud we continue to receive these accolades year in and out from the most respected journalism organizations in the nation, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers.

WINE DINE & TRAVEL AWARDS

BEST OF SHOW/FIRST PLACE  TRAVEL STORY 

Since 2013, our first year, Wine Dine & Travel has earned nearly a hundred awards for everything that makes a great magazine. We’ve won top awards in every key category, including editorial, design, humor, photography, and columns. We’re proud we continue to receive these accolades year in and out from the most respected journalism organizations in the nation, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers.

WDT INTERACTIVE

The future of THE TRAVEL magazine 

Enjoy the traditional magazine experience coupled with entertaining and informational video, audio and slide shows. Watch the video at the right to see how it works. Just click the interactive magazines below to enjoy the future right now.

MEET THE WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WRITING TEAM

Mary james

Mary Hellman James is an award-winning San Diego journalist and editor. After a 29-year-career with The San Diego Union-Tribune, she has been a freelance garden writer and a columnist for San Diego Home-Garden/Lifestyles magazine and co-publisher and editor of Wine Dine & Travel Magazine.

Ron James

Ron James is the “wine, food and travel guy.” He is a national award-winning print and online journalist, graphic designer, television producer and radio personality. The native Californians nationally syndicated wine and food columns have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world. Ron is founder, editor and publisher of Wine Dine & Travel Magazine.

Maribeth Mellin

Maribeth Mellin is an award-winning journalist whose travel articles have appeared in Endless Vacation Magazine, U-T San Diego and Dallas Morning News among others. She also travels and writes for several websites including CNN Travel, Concierge.com and Zagat, and has authored travel books on Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii and California.

Alison Darosa

Alison DaRosa is a six-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Gold Award for travel writing, the most prestigious prize in travel journalism. She served 15 years as Travel Editor of The San Diego Union-Tribune and was the award-winning editor of the San Diego News Network Travel Page. Alisonwrites a monthly Travel Deals column for the San Diego Union-Tribune and is a regular freelance contributor to the travel sections of the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and AOL Travel. Learn more about Alison on her website, www.AlisdaRosa.com.

John Muncie and jody Jaffe

Jody and John are award-winning journalists and novelists. John is a Lowell Thomas Award-Winner and was feature editor of The San Diego Union-Tribune, arts editor of The Baltimore Sun and writer-editor-columnist for the travel department of The Los Angeles Times. Jody was a journalist at the Charlotte Observer, where she was on a team that won the Pulitzer Prize. Her articles have been published in many publications including The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. They live on a farm in Lexington, Virginia.

Sharon larsen

Sharon Whitley Larsen’s work has appeared in many major publications, including Reader’s Digest (and 19 international issues), Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and Los Angeles Times Magazine. She’s the author of British Travel Tidbits (2017) and Travel Tidbits (2018), published by Sanbun Publishers in New Delhi. Sharon also had a two-year travel column “Travel Tidbits” in the Union Jack newspaper. Her favorite topic is travel (favorite destination London)..

carl larsen

Carl H. Larsen is a veteran journalist based in San Diego. He now focuses on travel writing, and is summoned to pull out his notebook whenever there’s the plaintive cry of a steam locomotive nearby. In San Diego, he is a college-extension instructor who has led courses on the Titanic and the popular TV series “Downton Abbey.”

Brian Clark

Brian Clark is a Madison, Wisconsin-based writer and photographer who likes to ski, kayak, scuba dive, bicycle and sail as often he can. A former staff writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune, he now contributes to a number of publications.

Amy Laughinghouse

London-based writer and photographer Amy Laughinghouse has attempted to overcome her fears (and sometimes basic common sense) through her adventures in 30 countries around the world. She dishes on the perks and perils of globetrotting for publications like LonelyPlanet.com, AAA Journey Magazine, Virtuoso Life, and The Dallas Morning News. Her travel tales can also be found on her website, www.amylaughinghouse.com.

Kitty morse

Kitty Morse is a Casablanca-born food and travel writer, speaker, and author of 11 cookbooks, five of them on the cuisine of her native Morocco. Her memoir, Mint Tea and Minarets: a banquet of Moroccan memories, and its French translation, Le Riad au Bord de l’Oued, are both recipients of a Gourmand World Award. https://www.kittymorse.com.

Margie Goldsmith

Margie Goldsmith is a NYC-based author, writer and photographer who has explored 140 countries on seven continents. She has won 85 awards including the prestigious Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Gold Award. She has written over 1,000 articles for Robb Report, Travel + Leisure, Business Jet Traveler, American Way, Hemispheres, Wall Street Journal, Globe and Mail.

Priscilla Lister

Priscilla Lister is a longtime journalist in her native San Diego. She has covered many subjects over the years, but travel is her favorite. Her work, including photography, has appeared in The San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Alaska Airlines’ magazine and numerous other publications throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is the author of “Take a Hike: San Diego County,” a comprehensive hiking guide to 260 trails in amazing San Diego County.

Diane Covington-Carter

Diane worked for the Ojai Valley news before becoming a free-lance journalist. Her work has appeared in many magazines including Hemispheres,  Reader’s Digest, The Sun, More Magazine, Sierra Alive. She has  been featured in The Los Angeles Times, The Napa Valley Register, Sacramento Bee, the San Diego Union Tribune,  among other newspapers. She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers.

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