Jill K. Robinson
Condé Nast Traveler
Half Moon Bay, CA, United States
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Past articles by Jill:
For Under-the-Radar Vineyards and Hiking Trails, Head to Colorado's Western Slope
The Western Slope, Colorado, is filled with red rock trails, desert vistas, craggy mountain peaks, and rolling vineyards. → Read More
The secret to protecting Napa's vineyards? Falcons
“People think we’re training falcons, but we’re just training wild birds, and falcons are the tools.” Rebecca Rosen’s team of 10 falcons work sunup to sundown, soaring over the vineyards of her winery clients, “like dogs in the air,” she says. → Read More
B Corps that Get You Outdoors
Check out brands that support the environment, labor rights, and your adventurous lifestyle → Read More
7 great travel gifts under $20
For more stories like this, check out The Chronicle’s weekly Travel newsletter! Sign up here. Shiny travel gadgets often come with a hefty price tag that make us weigh how much we really need the item before buying it.But fancy things aren’t always required to make your trip memorable and comfortable. When it comes to enjoying a trip, convenience trumps price, and there are plenty of supremely… → Read More
This Baja wine region is the Napa Valley of Mexico
The Chronicle has launched a new weekly Travel newsletter! Sign up here. Lines of grapevines disappear into the distance, where they blend into the mountains. Smoke from the open grill lifts into the air, but the delicious aroma floats on the breeze toward my table in the dappled sunlight, perched on the edge of the outdoor restaurant in wine country. I kick my shoes off under the table and pour… → Read More
Oahu's Waimea Valley and an easy side trip during North Shore visit
Head inland to visit the Waimea Valley, home to the Kahuna Nui (high priests) from A.D. 1092 because of its lush valleys, abundant resources, free-flowing streams, and ideal geographic location. The valley itself is an ahupuaa, a Hawaiian division of land that stretches from the mountains to the ocean, which ensures the community living there the resources they need in order to survive. Many of… → Read More
Smaller waves make Oahu's North Shore a bigger deal with families
It’s a summertime beach scene like so many around the world: Children race from the water across the sand while parents on beach towels try to relax, fishermen in chairs watch their lines for signs of life, and surfers carry boards from the parking lot toward the undulating blue horizon. In winter, the massive, glassy waves are legend on Oahu’s North Shore. The swells bring surf pros from around… → Read More
The Trailhead at the Water’s Edge
The Lake Tahoe Water Trail offers adventurers slick mileage → Read More
Hotels claim LEED status, but what does it really mean?
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification sets a benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings and homes — recognizing best-in-class strategies and practices. It’s the most recognized global standard for buildings that are efficient, cost-effective, and better for occupants as well as… → Read More
Five Items That Reincarnate Plastic Bottles Into Outdoor Gear
How to adventure AND keep plastic out of landfills and waterways → Read More
One Day, One Place: Getting outdoors in Paso Robles
Only a short distance inland from California's Central Coast, Paso Robles in wine country with an outdoorsy heart. The area's rich history combines with a backdrop of vineyards, olive orchards, farms, and ranches, and its residents' casual nature allows visitors to feel instantly at home, even if the dressiest clothing they packed is a pair of blue jeans. Roll on down to Paso, and take a taste… → Read More
4 spots dedicated to late surf legend Jack O’Neill
When the surf is sweet in Pleasure Point, there are plenty of waves to ride between The Hook and 30th Avenue. With nearly a dozen famous surf breaks, this neighborhood is a regular destination for skilled surfers. It was also a longtime favorite spot of the late Jack O'Neill, a local legend whose death in June garnered condolences from surf communities around the world. O'Neill, surfing pioneer… → Read More
Weekend Escape: Portland’s old-school cool
Long before Portland began its rise to the status of a prominent West Coast destination, the city was a relaxed hamlet and well-kept secret in the Pacific Northwest. In recent years, Portland has upped its game, becoming known for its dynamic culinary scene, wealth of local creators of one-of-a-kind products, and quirky cool vibe throughout the city. While first-time visitors may see a… → Read More
Is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Truly Impregnable?
How “Noah’s Ark of Plant Diversity” will weather a changing climate → Read More
Rivers of ice and roaming polar bears in Svalbard, Norway
"Do you want to hear the most beautiful sound in the world?" asks Morten, my guide. He uses his ax to scrape pieces of gleaming ice from the glacier, and lets then tumble down a deep blue crevasse, the end to which is not in sight. When the ice gently drops into the glacial water, it sounds like delicate chimes, almost like a fantastical Arctic version of fairy dust. Blues and whites and grays… → Read More
The Outdoor Industry Marches for Public Lands
Outdoor Retailer attendees make their case for leaving Utah at the state capitol → Read More
Finding renewal in New Zealand’s birthplace
Anywhere else, I’d have my eyes firmly fixed on the trail ahead, wary for snakes or dangerous critters. [...] my head is angled up into the green canopy, where shafts of the day’s last minutes of sunlight create a kaleidoscope effect — a swirl of emerald, azure and gold. The cultural history in this distinctive and beautiful region at the far northern edge of the North Island — from the kauri… → Read More
Travel books: Breaking down Hong Kong’s best
In “Hong Kong Precincts” (Hardie Grant Books, 240 pages, $29.99), author Penny Watson skillfully breaks down the 15 precincts (including Macau) and its “best shops, eateries, bars and other hangouts” to feature the wealth of Hong Kong’s cross-section of experiences from markets that sell everything from plastic toys to pigs’ ears, to modern bars and boutiques. Even better, interviews with local… → Read More
Essentials: Keeping it together with trio of packing cubes
Everyone’s got a packing strategy: roll it, fold it, throw it all in at the last minute. Many travelers swear by packing cubes to keep like things with like things, dirty and dusty clothing away from clean clothing, and making it far easier to compress your clothing (in some cases) and pack more in your bag. If you’re looking to try them out for the first time, or upgrade from your zip-lock… → Read More
For first-time backpackers, Marin is the perfect place to start
Beneath the thick fir canopy, clouds of blue butterflies float ahead of us, making the tightly wound switchbacks of the Mount Wittenberg Trail seem a little less steep. With only a couple of days to spare, driving out to the remote backcountry can take precious time that backpackers would rather spend in nature. Campsites in Point Reyes National Seashore’s sanctuary of beaches, grasslands and… → Read More