Haunts of the Heart: Landscapes of Lynn Zimmerman

Now is the ideal time to revisit your travel bucket list. Before you choose your destination based solely on a list, though, reflect on the types of experiences that really gratify you – culinary, history, culture, adventure. Then craft your ideal vacation from there.Seek out a well-established leader in experiential travel to give you a taste of what it’s like to be a local and then some – whether it’s cooking classes in a Tuscan villa or bathing with elephants at a Thailand sanctuary.

"At Blue-Roads Touring Company, we immerse our guests in a region’s culture and customs," says Ed Pettitt, General Manager."We take them to places that are difficult or next to impossible to plan and explore on their own. Fun, enriching visits into local homes to share authentically prepared meals. Outings to farms, orchards, vineyards. Even treks to the frontlines of Europe’s most famous battlefields.

"If great literature moves you, you’ll get an intimate look at William Shakespeare, regarded to be the world’s greatest English-language author, dramatist and poet. As part of Blue-Roads’ Heart of England tour, you’ll venture to Stratford-upon-Avon to delve into the Bard’s life, including his timbered childhood home and wife Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage.Passionate about gardening, or simply just love floral splendor? The world-renowned Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show puts you in the center of the sensory pleasures of England’s greatest gardens.Is cuisine a top, or the utmost, consideration?

Focus on authenticity and diversity above price in deciding what to eat, drink and do. Blue-Roads indulges its guests with many options such as, sampling some of the world’s best street food in Hanoi, Michelin-starred dining in Spain, or savoring fresh shellfish right off the boat in Gallipoli.The best culinary trip delights more than your palate. It informs and engages you, too. Explore how grapes become world-class varietals or how milk is crafted into mozzarella. Share in the tradition and ceremony of High Tea. Culinary experiences bring you together with others and encourage cross-cultural understanding.

A personally fulfilling itinerary elevates your precious time off. Key to that is your individual space and discovery time. Seek out the destination expert who strikes a balance between organized activities and downtime. Blue-Roads favors quality over quantity, thoughtfully curating a select number of unforgettable experiences while also ensuring you of time to relax, recharge and unwind.

Their careful combination of specialized excursions, sightseeing and personal time encourages you to dig deeper into the many layers of a destination. Instead of merely returning home with items checked off from a travel to-do list, they ensure that you return with expanded experience and knowledge. You’ll relish your trip for years after – perhaps when you try out that recipe for delicious eastern European pierogi or use that tongue-twisting phrase learned at the Welsh Language Heritage Centre.As you create your next vacation, start with what’s meaningful to you, and what brings you joy.So choose a trusted, inspired tour partner such as Blue-Roads. Your special trip will unfold from there.