Category Archives: Activities

Active City Travel vacation ideas include activities like cycling, golf, hiking, horseback riding, tennis and watersports.

A Taste of New York’s Chinatown and Little Italy

Looking for a unique and delicious way to explore New York City’s history? Sample dishes from both Chinatown and Little Italy with Ahoy New York Food Tours on a guided walking tour of these two historic and culturally rich neighborhoods.

A food tour of Chinatown and Little Italy offers a glimpse into the history, culture, and traditions of these immigrant communities that have shaped New York for generations. Along the way, you’ll stop at different locations to sample a variety of dishes: dumplings, noodles, cheese, cannoli plus a sit-down lunch with beer, wine, or non-alcoholic choices.

You’ll visit landmarks such as the oldest church in Manhattan, the former Five Points, and the site of the first pizzeria in the USA and learn about the famous and infamous characters that lived and worked in these areas, including politicians and gangsters.

On a sunny Monday morning, we met our Ahoy New York guide, Hanna, and the other six travelers at the Silk Road Cafe in Chinatown for a pot of tea. Hanna explained that tea is an essential part of Chinese culture and that China produces six main types of tea, each with its own characteristics and health benefits. The delicate jasmine green milk tea we enjoyed aided digestion.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Chinatown, New York
Nom Wah Tea Parlor photo credit: Sherel Purcell

From there, we walked to Nom Wah Tea Parlor, the oldest dim sum restaurant in New York. We snacked on their original egg roll, which looked quite different from the usual egg rolls. It was crispy on the outside and filled with chicken and vegetables.

Sponge Cake on Doyers Street, Chinatown, New York

We next sampled a Hong Kong-style sponge cake, which was light and fluffy with a subtle pandan flavor. The fluorescent green color of the sponge cake is not from food dye but is naturally colored and flavored with the pandan plant.

We enjoyed a picnic snack of Beijing dumplings in Columbus Park. Beijing-style dumplings are richer flavored, heartier dumplings with thicker skin and a fried bottom. A natural raconteur, Hannah told us the park, previously Dutch farmland, was named by local Italians and was the site of The Five Points, one of the roughest neighborhoods in NYC’s history.

Piemonte Ravioli, Little Italy, New York
Piemonte Ravioli photo credit: John Cameron

We then walked along Mulberry Street to our first stop in Little Italy, Piemonte Ravioli. Piemonte has been serving fresh pasta since 1920. We munched on tender ricotta gnocchis with a rich homemade marinara sauce.

Our next destination on Grand Street was Di Palo’s Fine Foods, which has been selling Italian specialties since 1910, way before Eataly. We tried two kinds of cheese, a Piave, my favorite, and a Pecorino with some Castelvetrano olives, the perfect martini olive.

Di Palo's, Little Italy, New York
Di Palo’s photo credit: John Cameron

We then visited Benito One, where we traded travel stories with our new friends over a lunch of Eggplant Rollatini with a marinara sauce, accompanied by a glass of red wine.

The final stop of our food tour of Chinatown and Little Italy was Ferrara Bakery and Café, where we enjoyed a traditional Sicilian dessert, cannolis – a crispy shell filled with sweet ricotta cream.

Ferrara Bakery and Café, Little Italy, New York
Ferrara Bakery and Café photo credit: Sherel Purcell

The Ahoy New York Food Tour lasts about three hours and covers two miles on foot, so comfortable shoes are advised. Bring your appetite too. We were so full we skipped dinner. If you love food and culture, take this opportunity to explore two of the tastiest neighborhoods in New York on this fun and informative walking tour.

Top Resorts in Palm Beach County

If your perfect Palm Beach Florida vacation features a range of surf and turf activities, we have the ideal resorts for you. These properties offer everything from snorkeling amidst sunken ships to historical tours on beach cruisers to waterside golf.

You’ll find ample opportunities for paddleboard and surfing lessons, state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor fitness facilities and even a 15-mile jogging trail along the Intracoastal Waterway.

The Breakers Palm Beach

The Breakers
The Breakers photo credit: John Cameron

Inspired by the Italian villas of the 1400s, The Breakers Palm Beach is run by descendants of founder Henry Flagler. Guests can do a free, two-hour cycling tour of local historical sites.

Golfers will love the challenging Rees-Jones course, the oldest 18-hole course in Florida. Dating from 1896, the Ocean Course sits on 140 acres overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, adjacent to the 540-room Breakers Hotel.

The Breakers Clubhouse
The Breakers Clubhouse photo credit: John Cameron

After the round, guests head to the Flagler Steakhouse upstairs in the golf clubhouse for excellent steak and seafood dishes.

The Breakers Pool
The Breakers Pool photo credit: John Cameron

Gym enthusiasts appreciate the contemporary 6,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor oceanfront fitness center, while all can enjoy the 20,000-square-foot spa, Mediterranean-style beach club overlooking one-half mile of private beach, four swimming pools, five whirlpool spas, 10 lighted tennis courts and an extensive program of family activities including water sports.

Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa

Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa photo credit:John Cameron

The Eau Resort offers free beach cruisers so guests can cycle three miles north to golf along the ocean and the Intracoastal at the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course.

Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course
Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course photo credit:John Cameron

The helpful water sports staff can arrange fishing trips or set you up with paddle boards, kayaks and catamarans to explore the marine life or improve your sailing skills.

Divers can see the old A1A highway, 30 feet below the surface, while snorkeling kids can discover schools of fish closer to shore. There’s an Aquanuts program for children ages five to 12 and a COAST Teens Program for ages 13 to 17.

An onsite tennis pro offers lessons on three Har-Tru clay courts, while a state-of-the-art fitness center, complete with personal trainers, offers spinning, yoga and Pilates classes.

The Seagate Hotel & Spa

The Seagate Hotel & Spa
The Seagate Hotel & Spa photo credit: John Cameron

The Seagate Hotel and Spa in Delray Beach is a gold-certified Leed property boasting five beautiful aquariums, including a shark tank. At their ocean club, guests can take a guided snorkeling tour to sunken ships or explore the area in single or double kayaks, paddleboards or rent masks and fins.

Hole 17 Seagate Golf & Country Club Delray Beach, Florida
Hole 17 Seagate Golf & Country Club

Golfers will enjoy a beautifully manicured 18 hole championship course, designed by Joe Lee, playing 6,552 yards from the tips. If you are staying at The Seagate, don’t miss the chance to play this fun course.  Guests also have access to eight Har-Tru tennis courts, a fitness center and a pool.

Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa

Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa
Marriott Singer Island Palm Beach photo credit: John Cameron

Rising 21 stories above one of the top five beaches in Palm Beach County, Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa is the only all-suite beachfront property in Palm Beach County.

Marriott Palm Beach Balcony view
Marriott Palm Beach Balcony view photo credit: John Cameron

Each of its 190 suites offers spacious and stylish condo-style living with a fully stocked large kitchen with dishwasher, separate living and dining area plus a washer & dryer.

Marriott Two Bedroom Condo
Marriott Two Bedroom Condo photo credit: John Cameron

A key feature of the Marriott Palm Beach Singer Island is the heated grotto-style, heated outdoor Lagoon Pool with a two-story waterfall and water slide.

Marriott Palm Beach Lagoon Pool
Marriott Palm Beach Lagoon Pool photo credit: John Cameron

Guests congregate here on Friday evenings for the popular dive-in movies on the resort’s big-screen. Beach volleyball and morning meditation classes round out the group activities.

3800 Ocean patio
3800 Ocean patio photo credit: John Cameron

3800 Ocean is the signature restaurant at Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island.  It’s always a treat when the chef takes away your menu and says, leave it to me. We were presented with a delicious starter of plump Wellfleet oysters, dredged in a breaded coating, fried and presented in their shell, followed by a duck breast au jus on black olive risotto and a sea bass wrapped in prosciutto, perfectly paired with a California chardonnay.

Every day at 4pm, guests are invited to mix and mingle over bar bites and a complimentary cocktail in the lobby during social hour.

Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort Palapas
Marriott Singer Island Beach Palapas photo credit: John Cameron

Stop by the palapa at the entrance to the beach for your towels and beach chairs. At the water sport rentals desk, you can book a pedal boat tour to nearby Burnt Ridge or sign out a motorboat to explore the waters on your own.

Enjoy a relaxing couples Swedish massage, perfectly executed by the skilled team at Sisi Spa. Post massage, relax on a heated mosaic spa beds, which are more comfortable than they look.

Waterstone Resort & Marina

Waterstone Resort & Marina
Waterstone Resort & Marina photo credit: John Cameron

In Boca Raton, the Waterstone Resort and Marina, popular with boaters, has 139 guest rooms with private balconies overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway or Lake Boca.

The polished chrome against whitewashed teak wood millwork both indoors and out creates a seamless transition between the main floor and waterfront promenade. Easy access to water activities on all three include reef snorkeling trips, fishing charters, boat rentals, surfing lessons, jet skis, ocean kayaks and paddleboards.

The Boca Raton Resort & Club’s award-winning amenities include two 18-hole championship golf courses, 30 tennis courts, seven pools, a 32-slip marina with full fishing and boating facilities and a half-mile of private beach with water sports and family activities.

Previously published on USA Today 10 Best