By Jae-Ha Kim
March 16, 2010
Jeff Housenbold uses Shutterfly to process all the pictures he takes on vacation. Of course, he gets a little break since he’s the president and CEO of the online photo company. A resident of Atherton, Calif., where he resides with his wife and three sons, Housenbold, 40, travels often for business and pleasure. While the warm islands of Hawaii are family favorites, the Housenbolds look forward to upcoming trips to Israel and Ireland.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. It’s so hard to choose. The world is full of wonder and hidden surprises. I do love the Hawaiian Islands. They’re only six hours away. No shots or special preparation are required, the diversity of topography and natural beauty is amazing, the people are friendly, the food is delicious and you never run out of outdoor activities. Some of my favorites include scuba diving, wave riding, snorkeling, playing on the beach with my kids, hiking in the mountains and lying in a hammock with my wife at sunset.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. Northern California provides so many options for weekend getaways. Our family’s favorite weekend getaway is the Big Sur-Carmel-Monterey area two hours south. We spend weekends hiking to the sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean, visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, catching up on our reading, playing on the beach, eating and shopping our way through Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Q. What are your favorite hotels and restaurants?
A. Some of my favorite hotels are the Kona Village Resort (www.konavillage.com) in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, the Hotel La Bobadilla (www.barcelo.com) near Granada, Spain, Las Ventanas al Paraiso (www.lasventanas.com) in Los Cabos, Mexico and Stonepine Estate and Resort (www.stonepinecarmel.com) in Carmel Valley, Calif. My local favorite restaurant choices are Gary Danko (www.garydanko.com) in San Francisco for a special dinner, Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch (www.missionranchcarmel.com) in Carmel or the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay (www.ritzcarlton.com) for brunch and Tamarine Restaurant (www.tamarinerestaurant.com) for contemporary Vietnamese in Palo Alto. When traveling to New York City, which I often do for business, I like H&H (www.hhbagels.com) bagels for breakfast, almost any local joint for pizza, and Gramercy Tavern (www.gramercytavern.com) for dinner.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. New York. My hometown has the best food, shopping, culture, people, diversity and vibe in the world. Paris. The cafes, fashion, architecture and romance are captivating. Chiang Mai, Thailand. The friendliness of the Thai people, the natural beauty, the delicious food and fruit and great service make it a must see while visiting Asia. Banff and Lake Louise, Canada. The air is crisp, the outdoor activities are fabulous and the natural beauty is stunning. Jackson Hole, Wy. The Grand Tetons and the rugged cowboy culture are part of the American experience.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. I like to buy DK’s Eyewitness Travel books, do research on the Internet, visit the office of tourism’s Web site, read community postings from people who have recently visited and talk to friends who have the inside scoop. I try not to over schedule our trips. I’ve found building in flexibility, downtime and spontaneity creates a better experience.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. High on my list are Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Italy and Israel. We’re heading to Israel in a few months for our 10th wedding anniversary and planning an extended family trip to Ireland next year.
Q. What is your worst vacation memory?
A. Being stuck on a small propeller plane in a fierce storm with food poisoning high above Tikal National Park in Guatemala. Things eventually worked out and we got to enjoy the beauty of the Mayan culture.
Q. How do you try to fit in when you’re a tourist?
A. There are times when being a tourist has its benefits and there are times when it’s better not to be perceived as a tourist. I usually ask the concierge or friends who live in the city to tell me the best local places to visit and the best places to eat so we can mix some authenticity into our trips.
© 2010 JAE-HA KIM
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