Michael Huntley, Author at Traveling Huntleys

Québec City, Canada: Old City Walking Tour, Montmorency Falls & Tall Ships 2017

July 26, 2017 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: July 2017

After our San Diego interlude, I rejoined Sandy on the East Coast and crossed the border from Vermont into Canada without any drama. The border agent asked about weapons, our occupations, and the length of our stay — nothing about food, wine, medications, or Jake’s rabies certificate. We may have under-packed the wine.

Old Québec City cobblestone streets and historic architecture

Downtown San Diego: Gaslamp Quarter, USS Midway, Comic-Con & La Playa

July 22, 2017 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: July 2017

We interrupted our New England summer travels when Michael needed to fly back to San Diego for a week to manage his physician practice. It turned out to be a welcome reset — and a reminder of how much there is to do in a city we know well. Downtown San Diego has transformed steadily over the years, and with Comic-Con and Pride Week both kicking off during our visit, the streets had an unusually electric energy. San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States, its economy anchored by military and defense as much as tourism, and its enduring appeal built on miles of sandy coastline and one of the most reliably mild climates in the country.

The Berkshires, Massachusetts: Hancock Shaker Village, the Clark & Norman Rockwell Museum

July 18, 2017 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: July 2017

Western Massachusetts doesn’t get the attention it deserves. The Berkshires — a range of low forested hills running along the state’s western edge — quietly house three world-class cultural institutions within a short drive of each other: a living museum of Shaker communal life, one of the finest small art museums in America, and the permanent home of Norman Rockwell’s original canvases. We made a day of all three, and left genuinely impressed by each.

Catskill & Lake George, New York: Cat Sculptures, a Boat Cruise & Adirondack Wine

July 13, 2017 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: July 2017

Catskill, New York turned out to be one of our better work-and-rest stops of the summer. Juniper Woods Campground put us within easy reach of both Lake George and a quirky small-town Main Street where dozens of painted fiberglass cats stand guard year-round. Good internet, a hot tub for sore muscles, and friendly neighbors around the pool — exactly what we needed mid-trip.

Painted fiberglass cat sculpture on Main Street Catskill NY

Lake Placid, New York: Olympic Ski Jumping, Whiteface Mountain & Mirror Lake

July 7, 2017 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: May 2026

Lake Placid is a beautiful mountain town no matter what the season. Tucked into the Adirondacks of upstate New York, it’s best known for hosting the Winter Olympics twice — in 1932 and 1980 — and the legacy of those games is visible everywhere you look, from the speed skating oval to the bobsled run to the ski jump towers that still dominate the skyline. We happened to be here in early June, and between the lupine blooming along every roadside and the summer training programs in full swing at the Olympic facilities, the timing couldn’t have been better.

Lupine wildflowers in bloom along a roadside near Lake Placid New York in June

Stowe, Vermont: Ben & Jerry’s, Bingham Falls & the Trapp Family Lodge

June 23, 2017 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: May 2026

Stowe is Vermont at its most postcard-perfect — a classic New England village flanked by Mount Mansfield (the state’s highest peak), threaded with trails and brewery stops, and anchored by one of the most interesting back stories in American hospitality. We came for Ben & Jerry’s and Bingham Falls, and stayed for a deep dive into Smugglers’ Notch, the Von Trapp family, and more Vermont craft beer than was strictly wise.