Summit County Citizens Voice

Some not-so-secret spots …

The waterfront of Naples, Italy glitters beneath Mt. Vesuvius.

SUMMIT COUNTY — A couple of days ago I overheard a travel conversation. The topic was Europe and someone made a disparaging comment about Naples being a hotbed of crime and poverty, ending with, “”I’d never want to go there. I immediately though of the last time Leigh and I traveled through the bustling port city on the Italian boot, and how much we enjoyed our short stay, when we explored the waterfront and used public transportation to visit Pompeii. The lesson, of course, is that every city has its good side (and its dark underbelly). Along with oodles of history, Restaurants in Naples dish up some of the best pizza on the planet, thick with black olives and anchovies. Read more about our short Naples sojourn in this Summit Voice story and get some more ideas for planning your summer travel in the rest of today’s photoblog.

The Naples waterfront at the Castel dell'Ovo, a stunning seaside castle that has guarded the busy trade port since the 5th century.

Along the Mayfield River in western Jamaica.

Jamaica is another spot that sometimes gets an undeserved bad rap from travelers who probably spent the majority of their time in a self-contained mega-resort that isolates you from the real country. When my son and I visited, we stayed in the Negril Yoga Center, which recently won accolades and the Travelers’ Choice awards from TripAdvisor. We walked to the market each day, shopping where the locals shopped, brewing Blue Mountain Coffee and exploring hidden coves well away from the madness of the resort strip. Read more: Father-son Jamaica trip filled with teachable moments.

During a day snorkeling at Half Moon Bay beach in Jamaica, we watched local fishermen paddle out to check their nets at Sunset.

Cliff-jumping at Xtabi Resort in Jamaica.

A summer thunderstorm builds over the mountains near Salzburg, Austria.

I have family roots in Austria, so Dylan, Leigh and I have visited there often in the past few years, and one of our favorite spots is the Alpenseebad on the shore of Mondsee, one of a stunning set of glacier-carved lakes at the northern foot of the Alps. While tourists throng nearby attractions in Salzburg and Hallstatt, this little lakeside town is visited by Austrians looking to cool down from the summer heat. The family friendly complex features huge waterslides, friendly lifeguards, good food and totally relaxed vibe. We’ve stayed twice at the Seepension Hemetsberger, a lovely family run seaside lodge where the family has been building fishing and touring boats for generations.

After a grueling hike, Dylan cools off by swimming in the icy waters of an alpine stream near the Mondsee in the Salzkammergut region of Austria.

Venturing a little closer to home, I'm always amazed by the wide-open camping along the Upper Colorado River at Rancho del Rio. There's a great flatwater kayak run just upstream and almost always some other kids around, not to mention dogs and plenty of marshmallows.

Travel doesn’t always have to be exotic. Some of the best trips we’ve taken are to destinations within a few hours of Summit County, and it’s always cool when you can take the dog along!

It's almost time for Moab!

Filed under: Europe, Travel, West Tagged: | Austria, Jamaica, Moab, Mondsee, Naples, photography, Travel