While planning my trip in luxury to Tuscany to mark a milestone birthday, I knew I wanted to somehow see as much of the beauty and experience as much of Tuscany that it has to offer.

No matter where I venture in the world, I often seek out a Ritz-Carlton to stay for at least part of the journey. It’s for good reason; from the moment you walk in, you know you are staying at a property that is part of a very special and unique collection of luxury hotels. 

New Orleans is known best for its festivals, particularly Mardi Gras, but there are more...many more. I have good friends who go live there for a month every spring to catch the French Quarter Fest and the Jazz & Heritage Festival. In between, they catch the Easter parades, and eat and drink their way across the city. It's a great place to party, whether it is an intimate crowd of 20 or 475,000 of your fellow music-loving friends.

Let's face it, travel is fun, but getting there is a pain in the neck. If you have to fly through London Heathrow, this could be painful, or you can make it a 5 Star experience. Here is my Heathrow Survival Guide!

Take a short trip to Bratislava, a quirky old city just over the border into Slovakia. Surrounded by wine country, this place has worked hard to become a destination. The local culture is fun and full of life. The architecture is beautiful and the city views are worth the trip.

Vienna is the capital and the largest city in Austria. Vienna is the host of many international organizations, including the UN and OPEC, and you can tell by the wandering population of people who act like locals. Vienna's city center is really beautiful and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, and the second most populous German federal state with a population of around 1.5 million. There's always something going on in Munich and plenty of local, famous, and 5 Star experiences to be had in this quintessential German city. Yes, beer and pretzels and brats are a part of it, but there is no shortage of shopping, architecture and history.

Prague, “the City of a Hundred Spires,” is bisected by the Vltava River and tied together by 10 bridges. It is an architectural an historic paradise with an incredible collection of colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches, public squares, hidden courtyards and so much history. Prague is filled with experiences you’ll remember a lifetime and is a city made for walkers.