Best of 2013

10. New Orleans, LA Located at the base of the Mississippi River, New Orleans has been a major port for distributing Midwest goods to the rest of the world since the French founded it in 1718. Don't let New Orleans' modern reputation for wild Mardi Gras nights keep you away — participating is optional (and might be more fun than you think). From historic -steam-powered, paddle-board riverboats to tours of mansions, plantations and nearby Civil War battlefields, there is plenty to see in this city. A great way to get a taste of New Orleans is by biting into freshly caught speckled trout, redfish, flounder or famous shrimp and oysters. Be warned, though: New Orleanians like to add some serious spice to their native dishes. Music in this region also benefits from a bit of a kick. Considered by many to be the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans boasts more than 30 official halls and watering holes that feature live jazz performances on a daily basis. If history or architecture pique your interest, the historic French- and Spanish-influenced mansions and plantations that line St. Charles Avenue and the French Quarter are places you won't want to miss. The commercial traffic on the mighty Mississippi is entertaining, but travel north of the city to Lake Pontchartrain for marinas and some wide-open water. To read more about New Orleans, click here. For photos of New Orleans, click here.

Yachting’s Best Towns 2013

Yachting readers have cast their votes to crown this year’s top 10 destinations for cruising. Click through to see the winners!

Ferretti 960: View to a Thrill

Offering stunning vistas, clever flourishes and 30-plus-knot speed, Ferretti’s 960 brings its brand of sophistication to the 90-foot market segment.

The French-built Beneteau Swift Trawler 50 possesses some of the traditional look of this market segment, but she can run too. I know this because on our test day the wind on the Mediterranean had freshened to a near gale, and with no shelter from the land we measured 30 knots of “breeze” on the anemometer. There was a short, steep sea with waves up to five feet. These were real-world testing conditions for any 50-footer.

Beneteau Swift Trawler 50

Beneteau’s Swift Trawler 50 brings the benefits of trawler volume to a boat with sprightly performance. By Dag Pike

Why, yes, that is the 183-foot Pruva Regina that you see superspy James Bond cavorting aboard in the most recent franchise film, Skyfall.

Superyacht Regina: Sexy Like a Bond Girl

Regina moved builder Pruva Yachting from its gulet past into the future of Turkey’s luxury charter market (and onto the Hollywood stage in the movie Skyfall). By Kim Kavin, photos by Marc Paris, courtesy of ContactTurkey.com.

Steve Jobs’s Superyacht in Florida

Venus, the 256-foot Feadship reportedly commissioned by the late Steve Jobs and designed by Phillipe Starck, arrived at the Rybovich yard in West Palm Beach over the weekend. Check out this video of the yacht, and track her by AIS.

10. New Orleans, LA Located at the base of the Mississippi River, New Orleans has been a major port for distributing Midwest goods to the rest of the world since the French founded it in 1718. Don't let New Orleans' modern reputation for wild Mardi Gras nights keep you away — participating is optional (and might be more fun than you think). From historic -steam-powered, paddle-board riverboats to tours of mansions, plantations and nearby Civil War battlefields, there is plenty to see in this city. A great way to get a taste of New Orleans is by biting into freshly caught speckled trout, redfish, flounder or famous shrimp and oysters. Be warned, though: New Orleanians like to add some serious spice to their native dishes. Music in this region also benefits from a bit of a kick. Considered by many to be the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans boasts more than 30 official halls and watering holes that feature live jazz performances on a daily basis. If history or architecture pique your interest, the historic French- and Spanish-influenced mansions and plantations that line St. Charles Avenue and the French Quarter are places you won't want to miss. The commercial traffic on the mighty Mississippi is entertaining, but travel north of the city to Lake Pontchartrain for marinas and some wide-open water. To read more about New Orleans, click here. For photos of New Orleans, click here.

Yachting’s Best Towns 2013

Yachting readers have cast their votes to crown this year’s top 10 destinations for cruising. Click through to see the winners!

Ferretti 960: View to a Thrill

Offering stunning vistas, clever flourishes and 30-plus-knot speed, Ferretti’s 960 brings its brand of sophistication to the 90-foot market segment.

The French-built Beneteau Swift Trawler 50 possesses some of the traditional look of this market segment, but she can run too. I know this because on our test day the wind on the Mediterranean had freshened to a near gale, and with no shelter from the land we measured 30 knots of “breeze” on the anemometer. There was a short, steep sea with waves up to five feet. These were real-world testing conditions for any 50-footer.

Beneteau Swift Trawler 50

Beneteau’s Swift Trawler 50 brings the benefits of trawler volume to a boat with sprightly performance. By Dag Pike

Why, yes, that is the 183-foot Pruva Regina that you see superspy James Bond cavorting aboard in the most recent franchise film, Skyfall.

Superyacht Regina: Sexy Like a Bond Girl

Regina moved builder Pruva Yachting from its gulet past into the future of Turkey’s luxury charter market (and onto the Hollywood stage in the movie Skyfall). By Kim Kavin, photos by Marc Paris, courtesy of ContactTurkey.com.

Steve Jobs’s Superyacht in Florida

Venus, the 256-foot Feadship reportedly commissioned by the late Steve Jobs and designed by Phillipe Starck, arrived at the Rybovich yard in West Palm Beach over the weekend. Check out this video of the yacht, and track her by AIS.

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