Larry Olmsted

Marathon participation is booming globally, with "runcations" emerging as a significant travel trend. The new Las Vegas Marathon route makes a compelling destination for runners. Vegas offers exceptional carbo-loading and post-race celebrations, alongside world-class spas and gyms. Its redesigned course is a highlight, starting and ending at the Strat, traversing Fremont Street, the iconic, traffic-free Las Vegas Strip, and many famous landmarks. Unlike other city races, Vegas in January provides ample accommodation and cooler weather. For those preferring a shorter distance, the annual Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half-Marathon is a unique night race on the closed Strip, renowned for its vibrant atmosphere, lights, and music, promising a memorable experience for all participants.

If you just watched the Tour de France and want to see it in person next year—while riding some of the most iconic routes in history—here's the best way to do that.

If you know where to go, there’s no reason to skimp on luxury when taking a golf trip.

Quilceda Creek, a Washington state winery, is renowned for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, consistently earning numerous 100-point ratings from top critics like Robert Parker and JamesSuckling.com. Despite its world-class quality, it remains a hidden gem, offering wines at much lower cost than comparable Napa cult cabs or Bordeaux First Growths. The family-owned winery, led by Paul Golitzin, focuses exclusively on estate-grown Cabernet, with its Champoux Vineyard recognized among the world's best. These big, dense, fruit-forward wines are celebrated for their immediate drinkability and aging potential. While production is limited and primarily sold via a mailing list, joining offers access to these highly acclaimed, value-driven American treasures.

If you want to play better golf, you need to go to a better golf school, and this is iconic resort is a wonderful choice.

There was a time not so long ago when most domestic whiskies came from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, and craft distilleries were unheard of.

Saratoga Springs offers a unique, year-round getaway, easily accessible from NYC. Its historic Saratoga Race Course, America's oldest, provides an incredibly affordable and fun experience, even allowing outside food and drink. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is a world-class venue, hosting top musical acts, the NYC Ballet, and Philadelphia Orchestra. Visitors can also explore the 2,400-acre Saratoga Spa State Park, home to historic mineral springs and the Roosevelt Baths & Spa. Rich in history, Saratoga was a pivotal site in the American Revolution and is famously the birthplace of the potato chip. The walkable downtown boasts diverse dining, from Sweet Mimi's to fine Italian, and luxury lodging like the Adelphi Hotel.

Active travel and interest in outdoor sports has been booming since before the pandemic, and running is no exception.

Saratoga Springs drips history, and being home to the oldest horse racetrack in the country (since 1863) is only part of the story. It’s also the site of America’s first hot springs wellness retreat, a place where you’ll find one of the nation’s best and oldest outdoor music venues, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) and also the site of a decisive victory over the British that was the major turning point in the Revolutionary War. Heck, it’s even the birthplace of the potato chip. With a near-perfect location in an 1866 bank building on a prime corner in the heart of the town’s charming main street you’ll find James & Sons Tobacconist. Its original and ornate front door is such a showpiece that tourists regularly stop to take pictures, and inside you can find the original vault door. A couple of tables are arranged on the sidewalk outside and it’s not unusual to see patrons smoking there at all hours, but especially after a race or in the evening hours after dinner in one of the many nearby restaurants.

Las Vegas has no shortage of cigar-friendly places. A new, private spot that opened earlier this year at the Wynn Hotel offers a cigar-friendly atmosphere with so much more, from fine dining to your own personal gambling space.