The Destination Guide

Winners of the The Destination Guide’s Best of Richmond competition have received some extra publicity from Richmond.com. The publication posted an article Jan. 19 about the contest and its winners. You can view it by following this link: http://www2.richmond.com/entertainment/top-features/2012/jan/19/3/richmond-restaurants-compete-travel-channel-ar-1623574/. The publication then went a step further by holding its own straw poll, asking readers which restaurant it likes best among the Destination Guide’s selections. Congratulations, once again, to all of Richmond’s best. You can view their videos by clicking on the Richmond tab on the left-hand side of the page.

Apizza at its best.

Like Chicago and New York, West Haven, Connecticut has a long-standing pizza tradition and a style all its own. New Haven apizza (pronounced “ah-beetz” back in the day) is a thin-crust pizza with a slightly charred bottom, just the way they make it at Zuppardi’s Apizza, The Destination Guide’s Best Pizza in Connecticut. Founded by Domenic and Angelina Zuppardi in 1935, Zuppardi’s remains a family-run operation focusing almost exclusively on pizza. House favorites include the homemade sausage and fresh clam. Check them out for yourself at http://www.zuppardisapizza.com/.

Congratulations THBCanton, winner of The Destination Guide’s Best of Baltimore competition with more than 4,600 views in 30 days. With this impressive mark, THB not only won our Best of Baltimore competition, it set a Destination Guide record for most views in a month (previously held by Henderson Park Inn). Short for Towson Hot Bagels, THB has locations in Towson and Canton, where we filmed. View the winning video under the Baltimore link and be sure to visit THBCanton online at http://www.towsonhotbagels.com.

The Destination Guide’s Best of winners continue to get noticed. Go to www.shockoenews.com to read a story about two of our participants in the Best of Richmond competition, which began Jan. 16. The story focuses on The Halligan Bar and Julep’s, two amazing restaurants with great reputations throughout the city. To watch their videos or videos from our other Best of Richmond winners, just click on our Richmond link on the left-hand side of the page.

Savannah's Candy Kitchen.

Congratulations Savannah’s Candy Kitchen, The Destination Guide’s Best Candy Shop in Savannah. Stan “The Candy Man” Strickland’s 4,200-square-foot store on historic River Street is as close to candy heaven as it gets. Inspired by his mother, who worked in a Georgia candy factory known for its pecan pralines, log rolls, glazed pecans, peanut brittle and Divinity candy, Stan opened his own shop 30 years ago. He later added three more, plus another on the way in Nashville. This southern candy empire also has a fantastic Website and more than 4,000 fans on Facebook. Check them out for yourself at http://www.savannahcandy.com.

The Savannah Walks.

The Destination Guide has named The Savannah Walks the Best Walking Tour in Savannah. Since 1996, The Savannah Walks has helped educate more than 200,000 visitors to the historic city with its entertaining and informational tours. These “tours for the educated traveler” cover everything from the Civil War to Historic Homes to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. They’ve also recently added a Pub Tour. Learn more at http://www.savannahwalks.com.

THB Canton, winner of The Destination Guide’s Best Bagels in Baltimore, has received some support from abroad — and her name is Italy. An Italian Website has posted THB’s video along with a story about the Scotto brothers, who own THB Canton along with their sister and a fourth partner. You can find the video under the Baltimore link. Or if you can read Italian, check out http://www.montediprocida.com/wp/2011/12/video-i-bagels-montesi-n-1-a-baltimora-con-i-fratelli-scotto-towson-hot-bagels-thb/.

Congratulations to the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Columbia-Airport, winner of The Destination Guide’s Best of Columbia (SC) competition. The trend-setting hotel combines first-class accommodations with an admirable commitment to the environment, having passed stringent requirements to acquire LEED certification.  And, oh by the way, it also happens to be an impeccable, service-oriented hotel just minutes from a number of attractions. ”This has been such a wonderful experience for our hotel,” said Raven Yonemura, director of marketing for the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Columbia-Airport. “The visibility has been instrumental in helping to educate the public about what it means to build and operate a green business. Our guests and clients love watching our featured video on the Destination Guide because it gives them an inside look at exactly what makes our property unique.” View the video under the Columbia link.

Not that we needed any validation for voting Di Pasquale’s Best Italian Market in Baltimore, but the feedback we’ve received on the Baltimore page helps explain what drew us to them in the first place. Here’s just a sample of what people are saying:

“Di Pasquale’s has THE BEST brick oven pizza in Baltimore. Fresh, real ingredients, proper thickness of the crust, and a savory sauce all fired perfectly leading to the sublime description – palatable daily! You will never get tired of this pizza. Bonus – the Italian market has anything homemade of memory and breads to die for. Sit-down dining in a friendly neighborhood atmosphere – go ahead and try to find a better experience!”

“Best Tratoria style Italian deli and grocery in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Brick oven pizza, At least 5 different homemade soups daily and a variety of daily specials to go along with their homemade everything. All with an excellent variety of wines. The Italian soft drink beverage selections are unique. Then take the groceries home for your own creation.”

“Il migliore buon mangia in città. Just the best!

Congratulations to The Crash Pad, winners of The Destination Guide’s Best of Chattanooga competition. A cross between a traditional hostel and a boutique inn, The Crash Pad received more than 2,000 views on its video in 30 days. Located in Chattanooga’s artsy Southside neighborhood, the hostel itself is a work of art, from custom-made bunks to counters inlaid with bicycle parts.  The ideal launching point for Chattanooga’s adventure-seeking visitors, The Crash Pad has two types of rooms: bunks for $27 a night and private rooms for $70. It also has a common area with kitchen and an outdoor patio. Check them out directly at http://www.crashpadchattanooga.com or view the video under the Chattanooga link.