When I first entered the stylish and graceful Hotel Belvedere in Locarno, Switzerland, I was unaware of the structure's history. A 2017 renovation instilled modernity into the hotel, so the historical value of the property was not readily apparent. My visit to this 4-star hotel, commanding lovely views of Lake Maggiore and the surrounding mountains, was made in conjunction with an early September Hiking in Style media trip to Switzerland. A tour of the hotel opened my eyes to the building's historical value and its incredible art collection.

Alaska–we finally made it to our 50th state this past July. When we landed at 11pm, it was still bright light outside, and the pilots who delivered us to the last frontier even took a picture with us to mark the epic journey. It was official– the ground of Alaska was actually beneath our feet. Goal achieved. This was not one of those goals that popped up overnight– it took years to flourish, more to facilitate, and, oddly enough, it was heaps of time before we even knew it was ever a goal.