One woman's wanderlust makes one huge hit

“I think you need disparity and I think you need levity and I think you need to know that you’re just going to have a good time,” she said.

Her travels have also revealed unexpected beauty. A road trip through Idaho, for example, highlighted the natural beauty that was hinted at when a woman at the state’s tourist office told her, “Darling, Idaho is just one big scenic drive.”

Schultz, who said that Italy and Thailand are among her favorite destinations, said that ritzy hotels are often included on her list for their rich history. And while the cost of rooms may be out of reach for the modest traveler, they can offer unique experiences such as taking tea at the Ritz in London or getting a massage on an Asian beach.

The Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong is a good example of a how a hotel can offer a slice of life, she said. The opulent lobby gives a glimpse into Hong Kong’s colonial past, while the hotel’s sleekly modern Felix restaurant offers skyline views and a chance to watch the stylish elite.
Herrera adds that many of Schultz’s entries, like “Museum Mile” in New York, have so much information that someone could easily plan a weekend out of a single pick.

“She’s choosing fantastic places,” Herrera said. “These are the places that you really need to make the time to visit and they’re guaranteed to satisfy.”

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Schultz’s next “mini-trip” is to Washington’s San Juan Islands, a group of around 750 islands in the Pacific Ocean that offer stunning landscapes, kayak trips and whale-watching.

“It’s like this best-kept secret,” she said. “It’s where Seattle kind of goes to decaffeinate.”

Her next “big trip” will be a first-time visit this fall to mountainous Bhutan, a remote Buddhist kingdom. Next summer, she plans to tackle Mongolia. Someday she hopes to see Antarctica.
Using the phrase “before you die” in the book titles might give some people pause, but Schultz said that the idea is to see these places while you can, seize the moment to take that trip you’ve been dreaming about.

“It’s not about dying, it’s about living,” she said. “It’s more the realization that we all have on some level of our being that this is no dress rehearsal. ... Carpe diem. This is the moment. Go before your knees go out.

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