In Horatio Nelson’s time, the safe harbors and protective reef that define Antigua’s 95 miles of coastline made for a great Caribbean base for the Royal Navy. Today, those same characteristics make the island ideal for a romantic getaway. The sailing is still fantastic, with consistent trade winds nearly all year round and Sailing Week a big draw in non-pandemic times. But those deep-set bays make for the perfect vantage point to take in the essence of the Caribbean: Brilliant blue water laps onto soft white sand and the coral reef beckons you out to see what’s beneath the surface.

Saturday night is Open That Bottle Night, a holiday conceived by authors Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher. (And did you know Mr. Brecher used to be a senior editor at a little place called Bloomberg!) It’s meant to encourage us to enjoy that bottle we’ve been saving and stop it collecting dust. From their Wikipedia article, I see they devised a rating scheme of "Yech", "OK", "Good", "Very Good", "Delicious" to "Delicious!”

While we’re optimistic about more countries opening up and the return of international travel on a large scale starting in the fall, there are plenty of incredible options right here in the U.S. for a family vacation this summer and into the fall. These coast-to-coast options have plenty of activities to keep kids of all ages occupied and entertained, and they represent only a few of the wonderful places to forge indelible family memories.

With more than a million vaccinations per day and the number steadily rising but COVID-19 still very much a part of our lives, travelers are wondering, “Should I stay or should I go?” It’s not a decision we can make for you, but we are certainly here to answer whatever questions you have in planning your vacation. Ultimately, it comes down to your comfort level.

As for where you can go right now, we are on top of that ever-changing list. The major changes lately include the closure of French overseas departments such as French Polynesia, St. Barth’s and the French half of St. Martin. It’s also possible to visit the UK and Ireland without the long quarantines that had been part of their protocols since last spring. You do still have to have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival and isolate for at least five days then have another negative test to explore either country, but that’s shorter than 14 days. Children 6 and under for Ireland and 10 and under for the UK are exempt from testing. Botswana has joined the list of safari destinations open, requiring a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure.

Taking another break from drinking this week, so I went back to wine-related media. This week I watched Somm (2012), a documentary about four candidates for the Master Sommelier (M.S.) exam. It’s the hardest examination in the wine world. At the beginning of the film, they note that in 40 years, there have only been 170 Master Sommeliers ever. This exclusivity can throw open the doors to lucrative paths of employment and teaching.

With snow piled on the ground outside or an icy wind blowing all around, it’s only natural that your thoughts turn to getting away. To a cold drink by the pool as the tropical sun warms you. To a morning game drive on safari as the savannah awakens to a new day. To arrival in a Mediterranean port and the anticipation of roaming the streets of an ancient city. There’s never a bad time for travel dreaming, but these are the days when we hold those dreams especially dear.

Oh, Chrissy Teigen. The Internet is mad at her again. She posted a question on her Twitter on Wednesday, "What's the most expensive thing you've eaten that you thought sucked?" Then she answered her own question: "one time john and I were at a restaurant and the waiter recommended a nice Cabernet. We got the bill and it was 13,000 dollars. HOW DO U CASUALLY RECOMMEND THAT WINE. we didn't even finish it and it had been cleared!!!"

I may have mentioned before: I'm moving. At some point. I don't know exactly when yet, and right now there's no particular where in the offing. Stressful? Not at all. But I've had to accept certain realities, chief among them that anything I bring into my current house I will need to pay someone to take out of it. Including my roughly ~100 bottle collection of wine. (Built up since about 2017, for you comedians in the back.)

With so many international borders closed, our thoughts turn to a tropical island paradise in the Pacific you don’t need a passport to visit. Your choice of island in Hawaii has always been important and tailored to the type of your experience you’re looking for, as each has its own unique style and charm. With COVID-19 restrictions, the choice and order of islands you visit is more important than ever, as requirements vary.

I don't know, there's just something about this week that makes me want to change things up a little bit. Something...new Something...slightly different? What could it be. I can't imagine. On Wednesday, for some reason, I felt a little celebratory, and I decided to open up a Jefferson's Golden Ale from Yards Brewing, in the heart of Philadelphia. You know, the cradle of American liberty, where they wrote the Declaration of Independence. Ben Franklin. The guy who invented the stove and all that.

As you may have heard, starting Jan. 26 all travelers flying into the U.S. will need to present proof of a negative PCR, NAT or antigen COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of your flight’s departure. Or, if you have tested positive for COVID in the previous three months, you can submit a note from a health provider or public health official authorizing you to travel.

The rules around travel change so quickly and so frequently that it can be overwhelming to keep up. The latest order from the CDC, however, might be the most important one yet, as it affects every passenger age 2 and older entering the U.S. by air. Beginning Jan. 26th, every single passenger flying into the U.S. will be required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of having recovered from the disease. This applies to U.S. citizens and foreigners alike, no matter where in the world they’re arriving from.

There are few places in the world where you’ll spot friendlier faces than Jamaica. “There’s nothing better than a Jamaican,” says Karen Bull of Island Luxe, Places of Personality, which represents resorts across the Caribbean and Bermuda. “They’re the warmest, most beautiful people.” Bull, a native Bermudian and the “Queen of the Caribbean,” knows of what she speaks.

“Its authenticity, its rawness, it’s the real deal,” Bull says of Jamaica. “A lot of islands have come into tourism of late. Jamaica was born into this.”

When the calendar turns, our phones usually start ringing. January is normally a very busy time in the travel industry. People gather over the holidays, finish out the old year and turn their attention to what adventures the new year will bring. Some of them want to get away as soon as they can to get away from the cold weather (and maybe delete any unpleasant experiences with unruly relatives over the holidays from their memories). Others want to get away for spring break or plan a summer vacation.

Here it is, our final post of 2020. Goodbye and good riddance. Let us turn our attention to the days ahead in the new year, when vaccines are widely available and we can travel the globe once more. We’re looking forward to so many things in 2021, so many celebrations large and small. From just meeting up with friends at a restaurant on a whim to journeys we’ve had in mind for a lifetime.

COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out nationwide, and over the next few months will be widely available. Soon international borders will reopen and we’ll be free to travel the world once more. It’s time to dream of travel again, and to make plans to make those dreams come true.

If you or a loved one had a wedding scheduled in 2020, odds are it didn’t go exactly according to plan. You might have rescheduled at least once. You might have gone ahead with the ceremony, but with a lot fewer attendees than you planned. Maybe you just made it legal and will stage the main event when it’s safe to do so. No matter what, you still have your eyes on that honeymoon.

Monday, December 7 was my birthday. (Cue the "date that will live in infamy" jokes, I've heard 'em all!) I didn't plan a big blowout bash or anything, because oddly enough when a million scientists all say it's a bad idea to have indoor gatherings, I take that seriously.

In just a few hours’ flight from the East Coast you can surround yourself with 250 miles of beach in the Dominican Republic. The second-largest nation in the Antilles (after Cuba), the Dominican offers a diversity of place that makes it unique, with coastlines along the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Hope you in the U.S. had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. I listened to Dr. Fauci and didn't go to anyone else's house. Luckily I have mad cooking skills and made my own deliciousness. As for what to drink... Well, I was sitting around, and the turkey breast was bubbling away in the sous vide. The legs were braising (not mine, the turkey's). Potatoes were cooking away in the pressure cooker in anticipation of a good mashing later. I had some time to kill, and whatever shall I do to occupy myself...