See which 3 Indiana towns were named Best Small Towns in the Midwest in a USA TODAY poll
USA TODAY 10Best readers voted on the Best Small Towns in the Midwest, and three Indiana towns made the list. One of them even won the top prize for the second year in a row.
The three small towns in Indiana that made the list are: Madison, LaPorte and Vevay. Here's what to know.
Here are the top 10 Best Small Towns in the Midwest, voted on by USA TODAY readers:
1. Madison, Indiana
2. LaPorte, Indiana
3. Worthington, Ohio
4. Vevay, Indiana
5. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
6. Council Grove, Kansas
7. Grand Haven, Michigan
8. Winona, Minnesota
9. Saugatuck, Michigan
10. Mackinac Island, Michigan
Madison took the top spot on the list for the second year in a row, after winning Best Small Town in the Midwest in 2024 as well.
Madison is located in Jefferson County in southern Indiana along the Ohio River. It is known for its rich history, food, music scene and Clifty Falls State Park.
Visit visitmadison.org for more information about what there is to do locally in Madison.
LaPorte took the No. 2 spot on the list for 2025. The city is located in northern Indiana in LaPorte County and is best known for its historic and walkable downtown area home to many restaurants and local businesses.
Visit livinthelakelife.org for more information on what to do in LaPorte, Indiana.
Vevay came in at spot No. 4 on the list and is located in Switzerland County in southern Indiana and sits along the Ohio River.
Vevay is another historic Indiana town that is home to local restaurants and businesses. It is most well known for The Vevay Historic District where visitors can go on a walking tour past the historic homes.
More on Vevay: Tattoo artist Kat Von D is moving to Indiana, closing LA shop: 'Goodbye California!'
For more information about things to do in Vevay, visit switzcotourism.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What are the Best Small Towns in the Midwest? Indiana towns made the list
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
A toast to Florida: 11 top bars locals love and visitors do not want to miss
Florida's top bars offer more than a well-crafted cocktail, they provide an experience and a sense of community that lasts long after your tab is closed. Florida's USA TODAY Network food and dining team selected 11 must-visit bars across the state, each proudly claiming the title of best in its region -- and one standout from Brevard County made the cut. From speakeasies and whiskey lounges to a historic tavern with everlasting charm, these establishments offer scenic settings, expertly crafted beverages and memorable, tasty dishes --worthy of a responsible road trip. Chez L'Amour | St. Augustine Details: 45 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine; 904-481-8117; St. Augustine's Chez L'Amour is the quintessential expression of 'Bites, Bubbles & Jazz.' Featuring a stellar craft-cocktail menu, global and evocative tapas from Executive Chef Ellie Schultze, and luxurious desserts from St. Augustine's Crème de la Cocoa, patrons can enjoy the decadent imbibe against the musical backdrop of a grand piano hosting world-class jazz musicians such as Joshua Bowlus and Linda Cole, niece of Nat King Cole. Owners Alberto and Jeanetta Cebollero remodeled the 1800s-era house into today's sophisticated and welcoming dining room, complete with piano and bar that evokes an old-fashioned jazz supper club adorned with modern-day sensibilities. The elegant, speakeasy-style ambiance recalls the days of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.― Lucia Viti, The St. Augustine Record Escondido Lounge | Downtown Fort Myers Details: 1617 Hendry St., Unit 102 (enter through Taco Works), Fort Myers; 239-898-7410; This 8-month-old speakeasy is as fun as it is gorgeous. In true speakeasy form, no signs announce its location. Find it by going through a laid-back taco joint and entering though a nondescript freezer door marked 'Restricted area, employees only.' Everything changes from there. A soothing red glow washes over lush velvet love seats backed by an immense wall of backlit mirrors. A sleek baby grand piano rests on a platform overhead. An elaborately stunning 6-foot-tall red chandelier watches over the room's focal point — a lusciously inviting U-shape bar. And that's just the downstairs. The classic and signature cocktails are crafted to match the vibe. The historic Richards Building once housed a pharmacy and soda bar, reportedly frequented by Ty Cobb, Thomas Edison, Connie Mack and others. Now you'll find cocktails named after them. Order one, sit back and enjoy the ambiance. After all, you found the Escondido Lounge. — Robyn George, The News-Press Visually stunning speakeasies coming to downtown Fort Myers next month, Cape Coral in 2025 Hardwick's Bar | Downtown Jacksonville Details: 100 E. Adams St., Jacksonville; A 99-year-old former cigar factory and English pub in the heart of downtown Jacksonville opened in 2023 as Hardwick's Bar, the first major LGBTQIA+ club open in the city in decades. The club is named for architect Taylor Hardwick, who designed the distinctive former library building just across the street. A custom bar, dark green walls and floor-to-ceiling windows greet patrons and the monthly events calendar is filled with DJs and dance parties. There is no kitchen at Hardwick's but the bar has an extensive selection of whiskeys and tequilas. — Tom Szaroleta/The Florida Times-Union Liberty Bar | Tallahassee Details: 1307 N Monroe St., Tallahassee; 850-354-8277; Seven Hills Hospitality Group has established itself as a favorite of Tallahassee foodies with the likes of Black Radish, LINK, The Hawthorn and Bar 1903. Liberty is what started it all. Excellent drinks and bar food in a sparsely decorated, not too brightly lit atmosphere. It's proof that excellence doesn't have to be pretty. You can't eat and drink the decor, after all. But the also ever-changing food menu includes small plates and sandwiches that are easily shared at the bar. And like everything else Liberty does, the bar food is exceptional with some pleasant twists on comfort food, like the duck confit mac 'n' cheese and a Scotch egg that somehow still has a runny yolk when you break your fork through the crusted sausage it's wrapped in. — Brendan Farrington, Special to the Tallahassee Democrat Bars of the year? 10 memorable Tallahassee spots with great drinks, history, atmosphere Little Jim Bait & Tackle Details: 601 N. Causeway, Fort Pierce; 772-468-2503; Little Jim Bait & Tackle in Fort Pierce, known as Little Jim's, was built in 1942 and originally served as a Navy guard shack and barrier island checkpoint during World War II. When the Navy left in 1944, it gave the city the land, the shack and the wooden bridge. What started out early as a bait shop grew into the popular live music hangout Little Jim's is today. Menu highlights include the pimento cheese spread and house-made classic onion dip with chips for an appetizer, as well as its tacos, pizzas, sandwiches and smash burger. It's known for its signature beers brewed by Sailfish Brewing Co. and its frozen drinks, especially its margaritas flavored with lime, strawberry, coconut, blackberry, jalapeno-cucumber or pineapple-jalapeno. It also serves breakfast from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Laurie K. Blandford, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers Where to eat: 10 essential restaurants in Fort Pierce include 12A Buoy, Pineapple Joe's Mainstreet Pub | Melbourne Details: 705 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne: 321-723-7811: 20 years strong and Mainstreet Pub is still pouring and still iconic. With three bars under one roof, nightly live music, cold drinks and darn good food -- it's the kind of place where grandpas, middle-aged women and college kids share bar space. Come hungry and try the famous Kummelweck Sandwich, piled high with beef on a salted, caraway-topped kaiser roll. Thirsty? Every cocktail is made with fresh fruit, juiced on the spot—no mixes, no shortcuts. Try the Orange Crush! Inside, it's cozy, with a classic pub feel. Dark wood, framed family and vintage city pictures and the hum of customers catching up. Outside, the tiki bar is surrounded by tropical foliage, plenty of tables and a dance space where funky moves are welcome. This building itself is a legend. According to the owner, the house may date back over a hundred years: with thirsty travelers and horses having lined up like its happy hour at the well behind the building. – Amber Olesen, FLORIDA TODAY More: Best bar in Brevard? Believe the hype. This downtown Melbourne staple deserves the honor. Mary Lou's | West Palm Beach Details: 250 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, Mary Lou's, a bar with A-list habitués and glam speakeasy vibes made USA TODAY's Bars of the Year 2025 list of the country's 29 best. While its décor — complete with a ginormous mirror ball — nods to the past, drinking, dining and dancing at Mary Lou's is anything but traditional. In addition to the breathtaking bar, the space is peppered with sexy velvet booths that shimmer under seductive lighting in a room that feeds off the collective, almost communal, energy of other people. I expect to see it in Netflix's new series "Members Only: Palm Beach" which sounds like a Real Housewives riff. — Diana Biederman, The Palm Beach Post Shiny happy people: West Palm Beach retro chic bar with celebrity shine named among America's best Old Hickory Whiskey Bar | Pensacola Details: 123 S. Palafox St., Pensacola; 850-332-5916; Old Hickory leads the way in whiskey, offering over 750 varieties in a dim-lit, sexy and sleek bar in the heart of downtown Pensacola. Seasonal drinks are supreme at Old Hickory, whether it's their peach tea-infused Summer Old Fashioned or a Christmas pop-up drink when the bar transforms into a hauntingly whimsical Nightmare on Palafox. Old Hickory was named after U.S. President Andrew Jackson, whose personal residence was just across the street from the bar. 'Old Hickory' was Jackson's nickname in battle, and he became the namesake of the popular Palafox Street bar owned by Katie Garrett and managed by Joe Couture. While hundreds of whiskey bottles are shelved to the ceiling and can certainly be enjoyed and appreciated on the rocks, there are a variety of cocktails that allow Old Hickory's mixologists to shine. — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal 6 of the most unique Pensacola bars: From a secret tiki bar to a 70s inspired arcade Ocean Deck | Daytona Beach Details: 127 S. Ocean Ave., Daytona Beach; 386-253-5224, Ocean Deck, the quintessential beach bar, has been feeding Daytona Beach visitors for more than 65 years. After opening as a humble hotdog stand in 1957, the surfer-friendly spot has become a local watering hole for that beachfront, craft cocktail, live entertainment experience that locals enjoy on the regular and generations of vacationers look forward to year after year. The 'no shirt, no shoes, no problem' eatery, named the best beach bar in the U.S. by USA TODAY readers, sits directly on The World's Most Famous Beach, where patrons can feast on an island-inspired menu of rasta wings, 10-ounce burgers and fish sandwiches from its nautical upstairs dining room or kick back at its first-come-first-served deck, where the unofficial dress code is sun-kissed skin, swimsuits and a margarita in hand. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal Raise a glass, sink your toes: 10 must-visit beach bars in the Daytona, NSB area The Old Salty Dog | Sarasota Details: 1601 Ken Thompson Parkway; 941-388-4311, Perched on Sarasota's City Island, The Old Salty Dog has been a beloved waterfront hangout since 1991, offering a brilliant blend of British pub and Florida beach bar. The open-air bar lets patrons belly up to the hull of a boat while overlooking dolphin-dotted waters and sipping a Boddingtons with some of the best fish and chips around. Three seats down, a group who just stepped off their boat at the next-door marina might be dining Jimmy Buffett-style — cheeseburgers and margaritas topped with Grand Marnier. And really, no day of drinking at The Old Salty Dog is complete without surrendering to its legendary deep-fried hot dog, as seen on a classic episode of "Man v. Food." Laid-back, lively, and loaded with charm — it's pure Gulf Coast. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Sarasota waterfront bar ranked among best in U.S. — everything to know before you go Rebecca's l Naples Details: 2955 Bayshore Drive; 239-799-1801; opened in 2023 and has become a popular stop in the trendy Bayshore Arts District, across from a food truck park and a few miles from downtown Naples. It's a restaurant and bar, which "boasts an extensive and thoughtfully curated wine collection, perfect for every palate and occasion. Paired with expertly crafted cocktails, exquisite cuisine, and a stunning ambiance, we create an unforgettable experience where every detail celebrates flavor and style," Rebecca's says on its website. In addition to cocktails, choose from nearly 150 wine options. ― Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News Cocktails, caviar, charcuterie: First look inside Bayshore Arts District's new wine bar This article originally appeared on Florida Today: From beach shacks to historic taverns, Florida's best bars to visit now Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
I explored a new country with 13 strangers. It was my favorite trip.
I couldn't recall the names of any of the restaurants I visited during my weeklong stay in Portugal. What I can tell you is the name, country of origin, profession, and motivations of my 13 travel companions – none of whom I knew prior to setting foot in Europe. Solo travel can be intimidating. Having been on different group trips by myself, it can feel isolating to be the sole person among couples, families, and friend groups. It's always a little awkward during mealtimes when you have to make the choice of asking to sit with someone, harkening to schoolyard fears, or taking a table for yourself and possibly alienating potential friends. "The reason I chose solo (travel) was because where I live, it's seasonal and all the people that I hang around with leave during the summer and there's no one there,' John O'hea told USA TODAY. 'I wanted to meet a bunch of new people and get exposed to different viewpoints, different ideas ... and I haven't been disappointed.' My first meal in Portugal in late July, I sat next to Sydni from California, and we quickly latched on to each other. At least for me, Sydni was homebase – and I'd like to think I was that for her as well – as we explored connections with the rest of the group. It only took one train ride together to get to know half the group. The fact that we were all solo travelers made it so everyone was open to each other and the experience of exploring a new country. It was my first time traveling with G Adventures in their new program "Solo-ish." While the concept is simple – a group of solo travelers sharing an itinerary and sometimes a room – taking the plunge of booking seemed to be the biggest hurdle for most. (Myself included.) 'This was my first time ever traveling solo, and what made it very enticing was the fact that it was solo-ish. So, although I was leaving and arriving alone – I was very nervous to join a group and see if I was going to feel included,' Natalyn Hibbs said. 'I would say, take that leap and join. It's very rewarding and the people that you meet – coming from all different areas – make it a really cool experience, and there's so much you get back from it.' We visited six locations (Lisbon, Cascais, Belem, Nazaré, Amarante and Porto), giving the group a good taste of what makes them unique. At each stop, we had a planned activity that ranged from nature hikes to city food tours to sightseeing via boat. Solo travel is an increasingly popular choice, with 'alone' being now the third most common choice for travel companionship, according to a January survey of 32,106 respondents across 32 countries and territories. Around 21% of global respondents and 29% of U.S. respondents reported that they took a solo trip in 2024. Among those who traveled solo, the freedom to create their itinerary was a key motivator for 38% of global respondents and 30% of Americans. Time for personal reflection and meeting people upon arrival were also strong motivations. 'I think with solo travel in general, the first point is that it does seem to be more people are wanting to do it,' David Stone, Global Head of Sales at Unforgettable Travel Company, told USA TODAY. 'And I think that the stigma that may have been attached to solo travel is almost disappearing now, which is really great.' What to expect from a solo group trip You won't be alone, don't worry. (Unless you want to be.) Our Portugal itinerary was packed with activities that allowed us to experience so much of the country, but every day had some allotted downtime for everyone to do their own thing if they so wished. During our first night, after a walking food tour of Lisbon, half the group decided to keep going and try different pasteis de nata (traditional Portuguese pastry), while the other half took the bus back to the hotel. The next day, during our visit to Cascais and Belem, the group dispersed to whatever appealed the most (views, or hikes), but because we were all solo travelers in a group, you always had someone ready to share a view with you or split a ridiculously large almond pastry. The Chief Experience Officers (CEOs), as G Adventures calls their guides, were there not only as shepherds of the group, but also to serve as experts on the area, often recommending where to eat or what to do on our own based on our interests. I do actually remember one of the restaurants (Adega Machado, check them out if you're in Lisbon) because we heard some of the most beautiful live music mere feet from our table, with voices from Isabel Noronha to Pedro Moutinho to Filipa Vieira all in one night. Our G Adventures guide coordinated the experience, and I'm so glad she did because I wouldn't have known otherwise to do that. Solo travel can often place the onus of a copious amount of research on the traveler, but working with a local as our CEO made it so we knew where to go for authentic experiences, avoiding tourist traps, and highlighting important cultural idiosyncrasies we would have otherwise overlooked. Do you look like a tour group when you all walk together? Yes, absolutely. But you need to get over that fear of judgment. From your clothes to the way you do your hair, to your accent, you'll always be a tourist outside of your home – and that's OK. Being a tourist isn't inherently frowned upon; being a bad tourist is. Having a local guide with us, being respectful of the places we visited, and spending our money with locally owned businesses is all we need to do as responsible travelers. Are you ready for a solo trip? Probably not. I don't think anyone is ever ready to put themselves in uncomfortable positions. It's not in our nature to make ourselves vulnerable. But that's where growth happens. Those uncomfortable moments you handle by yourself are the ones that truly reveal who you truly are. 'I think doing like the solo-solo travel where you're not with a group, you're not on a tour, that is definitely intimidating and very challenging, and can be very lonely,' Pavel Orel, another guest, said. 'This trip is like the perfect balance where there's a lot of the structure that's built in, there's a lot of the community that is already here, and there's enough freedom to do whatever.' I consider myself introverted, and this trip was the first time I didn't feel exhausted after talking to people for hours on end. It's an experience quite unlike any other. I'm not saying I will only do solo group trips from now on, but there's something to be said about touching base with yourself in a new environment surrounded by travelers looking to do the same. 'I haven't done a group trip in a while, and most of the group trips I did, I feel like most of the people were pretty immature. And I feel like this trip had people who really know themselves, they feel secure in themselves, and that makes it a safe environment to go deeper into more real stuff. (Compared to what) you would otherwise do surface level when you just meet someone over dinner or something,' Rachel Rosenbaum said. Visiting a new destination with other solo travelers from different countries, backgrounds, ages, and fields only enhances the experience. I walked away from Portugal with an appreciation for the country's relaxed culture, as well as the turns of phrase from South Africans, the kindness of Canadians, the thoughtfulness of Brits, the resilience of Russians, and the tenacity of Americans on the trip with me. I wouldn't have gotten any of that by myself. The reporter on this story received access from G Adventures. USA TODAY maintains editorial control. Josh Rivera is USA TODAY's Senior Consumer Travel Editor. You can reach him at jrivera@
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Chef Richard Blais' latest concoction may make your skin crawl
Chef Richard Blais is pretty adventurous when it comes to food. 'I've always been like that. If it sounds a little weird, it's cool for me,' the Top Chef All-Stars winner, restauranteur, James Beard-nominated cookbook author and 'Next Level Chef' judge said with a smile. But his latest project may make some people's skin crawl. Blais partnered with Orkin on series of recipes incorporating insects for a video called 'Bug Bites' debuting on Orkin's website on Aug. 18. 'One of our best recipes was a mealworm pesto, which was great because Orkin is the best in pests and I'm the best in pesto, so it was a match made in heaven,' he joked. However, it wasn't all easy to stomach, even for himself. He spoke with USA TODAY about facing his fears, why It's important for chefs to travel, the surprising thing he's done on planes and more. This interview was edited and condensed for clarity. Question: What inspired your involvement in this particular project? Richard Blais: Just up for the challenge. Also for me, if you would have asked me a question a couple years ago: what are some foods that you might not like? I would say insects, to be fair. I got to eat some on different shows, etc., so it was sort of overcoming my own mental hurdle to do this. And I'm so glad I did because I learned so much, and besides that, it was just a lot of fun. Like, "Hey, do you want to eat a tarantula on camera?' Yes. Let's see how that goes. Have you previously tried insects on your travels? Not on my own, like, hey, I'm in a restaurant, and I'm going to order. But in my reality show career, I have been tasked with a few, eating some insects. And in my travels, I have seen them in markets and stuff like that and always been amazed at their aroma or flavor and how it's not just, oh, it's just another protein source, but how every ingredient has its own flavor. That goes for meal worms and ants as well as it goes for octopus and sea urchin. Food can have a stigma when it's something that people are not familiar with. And this video may help break some of those barriers and let people know, it's OK to try all sorts of things. One-hundred percent. I always preach to my kids, "Hey, try it. You don't have to like it, but it's good to try things." And I think "Bug Bites" was great for me for that because it forced me to try some of these things. Am I going to be on the tarantula of the month gift club? Probably not. That still freaks me out, but I'm glad I did it and I overcame some fears. It's really, really important to realize that different people and different cultures eat different things and one's not better than the other. They just happen to be different. In other parts of the world, this is part of their diet. I've been to Thailand and seen grasshoppers and grasshopper wings and all sorts of things, and again it is normal. I think what really it came down to (is) at some point you're like, it's a scorpion or it's a crab, They're similar. We often call lobsters, the cockroaches of the sea. Once you wrap your mind around it, that it's just another food source – it is a normal food source, depending what that ingredient is and where you are in the world – it does make it a little easier to grasp. But we do have the skittishness, squeamishness, of which I had as well and still have a little bit. How did you come up with ways to make it more palatable so you even could enjoy them as much as possible? You know, I love being in front of the camera and producing things now, too and writing my own stuff, so one of the challenges was yes, I would like to be able to get through this challenge. I'd like to keep raising the ladder and the stakes as we eat each insect. So yeah, let's toss it in some sauce or let's ground it up there. There's that way that you could approach it, and I did with some recipes, but the other end of it is no, I want this to be hard for me, and I want to see a tarantula leg sticking out of this sushi roll, and I want the ants to just be whole on this ice cream cone. So it was kind of a balance – also knowing, I think for the viewer, you want to see, hey, is he going to eat a whole scorpion? They're little, by the way. Spoiler alert. Did anything surprise you? The mealworm pesto. Speaking to the entomologist about meal worms, that they're in grains and you sort of get into this you taste like what you eat. You know, like if a pig's eating acorns, they taste like acorns. And then using it, they have a nutty flavor. Replacing pine nuts in a pesto with the meal worms, that was one of the cheffy moments where I'm like, OK, this makes total sense. If I'm cooking on a competition show, or even in a restaurant quite honestly, and that was a recipe, you would think it was delicious and you would advance in the show. I'm still pretty excited about it. How does food influence you when you travel and how do you approach food when you travel? I'm a chef because I love to eat ... And it's a big part of all of my travel. If I'm traveling, I'm pretty simple when I'm alone on a business trip. Not to lose my chef credentials here, but you can find me at the local fast-casual salad pickup spot pretty frequently, if I'm traveling domestically by myself. When my wife is involved, she's much more of the planner and we'll set a lot of things up and we'll read a lot of publications and find out what the cool, hip behind-the-scenes ramen spot is or what's the taco shop that we have to go to or what's the fine dining restaurant wherever we're at. But it's definitely a big part of travel for us, even if it just happens to be like we're going to go to the local market, we're going to buy a bunch of things, and we're going to come home and cook. We just spent a week on the island of Nevis, and it happens to be mango season there, so when you accidentally fall into one of those moments – you have all these beautiful, ripe mangoes – making a nice, easy salsa at the house on your vacation, that's perfect. It's a part of vacationing. How has your travel influenced the way that you cook? I think you are a sum of all of your experiences, so I think every cook and every chef goes someplace and comes back with an ingredient that they found or a technique or a flavor profile or even as a restauranteur, a concept you've seen that you want to riff off of. So I think it's probably the most important thing for a chef is to travel. Do you have a favorite travel memory? Not one specific memory, but I think just collectively, my family loves going to Hawaii. It's become a really special place for us, and even on the food and the cuisine side, it's just some of my favorite foods. And because we travel there somewhat regularly, one of my daughters, on like a third-grade questionnaire, the question was, what's your favorite food, and she wrote luau. Internationally, our family's first trip to Paris, the first trip to Rome. For me, as someone who studied a lot of European cuisines and then to be on the ground with your family and – kind of getting back to "Bug Bites" – introducing escargot to your daughter for the first time and she's like, yum. What is your preferred way to travel? I spend so much time in the air ... It is becoming now, in my life, more of a chore than it used to be. Used to love to lock in and watch five hours of movies and now it's more just like transportation, but I do like flying. There is something also really wild about being on the open ocean in a boat, if you're up for it. My whole family isn't, so we would do a lot more of that if it wasn't for some seasickness. When you fly, aisle or window seat? I am the middle on the family flights, where it has to happen. I'm taking one for the team. I prefer a window. Even though with all the all the time I've spent in the air, I love a good Instagram story of take-off or landing. There's something still just very entertaining to me about looking out a window and seeing the world from 30,000 feet. Is there anything you splurge on, on vacation? Depends, on the type of vacation. I think food for sure. I think we're always looking for one or two meals, and that might mean a Michelin-star restaurant or a really nice restaurant. I think for me, as someone who likes sports, it might be an expensive tee time at a nice golf course or hanging out at the spa. All of those sound great, by the way. If you can do all of those things on one trip, check it off: spa, a little golf, a Michelin-star restaurant, then go find like that local hole in the wall place, that works for me. And then as parents, just being able to sit in a hotel bed and watch TV for two hours uninterrupted is pretty fun. Disney's Michelin-starred restaurant: What to expect at Victoria & Albert's Is there a travel must-have that you always take with you? I've run six New York City Marathons – sorry, that's a weird flexy brag – and the first one I ran ... I have the bag from that marathon, and I still travel with that bag. You can't see that it says New York City Marathon. All the letters have just dissolved off of it. It's just a backpack, and now it's just like a security blanket sort of thing. I always travel with this bag. It has served me well. Do you have any travel pet peeves or maybe an unpopular travel opinion? It's a weird one. You know what, if I have enough time, I'm a big fan of the (airport) lounge shower, which not everyone is a big fan of. I'm just being very authentic here. And if I have a 2-hour layover and the shower is available, why not just try to smell your best at all moments? Does anything grind your gears, that other travelers do? If you're on a phone call or on your iPad or whatever and you're just playing it loud or we're literally rolling down the taxi (way) and you're on a phone call, I don't need to hear your business. No one needs to hear all of your stuff. But another pet peeve that a lot of people have that I'm up for is making your tuna fish salad sandwich on the plane. Go for it. One time I had a little black truffle that I was gifted at an event, and I started traveling with this little black truffle. I would get the eggs on the air flight meal, but I would pull out my own little black truffle and shave it on the eggs. I think if you can cook and like you're making a sandwich or a little charcuterie board and we're in the air, hey, listen, go for it.
