Here, Renato V. Bosita, Jr., MD, MBA, of Plano-based Texas back Institute, discusses his favorite places to go for a holiday.
Question: What are your favorite vacation spots?
RB: Best vacation spots? There are so many awesome places to visit in the world that it is hard to limit the list to just a few. I have taken my wife and kids to a lot of different places and certainly, each one is unique and different. There are a few that have a very special place in our hearts.
The first place is Maui. We started taking vacations to Maui several years ago. We enjoy the familiarity that we have with the island. It is nice to get around beautiful tropical paradise without needing a GPS because I actually know where I am going now.
The weather is always absolutely perfect. Our favorite part of Maui is Kaanapali Beach. Watching whales breaching and playing in the ocean with Lanai and Molokai in the background is always a special treat to enjoy while my kids build sandcastles and frolic and surf on the beach. Maui also has excellent food. Mama's Fish House is a great restaurant that also has access to a very nice beach behind it. The kids will run around for an hour or so and then will run into the restaurant with sandy feet to enjoy fresh seafood.
Going up Mt. Haleakala to Kula Lavender Garden and also to the summit is breathtaking. Every time I go to Maui, I like to bring a kite to fly on the beach in the early morning breeze. The best round of golf that I shot in my entire life was at the Kapalua Bay Course, which will always be a very special memory for me.
Another great vacation spot that my family and I enjoy is Disney World. I have four small children ages 10 and under, and what kid does not want to go to Disney World? Although, it is sometimes difficult to fight with the crowds for some of the major attractions. I definitely recommend being organized and knowing exactly what the plan for the day will be in order to make sure that every important attraction is seen.
Since all my children are boys, I feel fortunate that I can avoid the princess hoopla associated with the movie Frozen. I heard that sometimes fathers are forced to stand in line for two to four hours at a time just so their daughters can take a picture with Elsa. Luckily, Buzz Lightyear and Darth Vader are not in that high demand. I also look forward to seeing that new Disney World Star Wars-based themed attractions which will be opening up soon.
For a getaway with my wife to de-stress and relax, we like to visit Northern California. Most recently, we enjoyed dinner at The French Laundry restaurant in Napa. One funny side note is that my administrative assistant led an army of Texas Back Institute employees who were all calling at 9 a.m. Pacific Time to make sure that we could get a table because, typically, this restaurant is one of the hardest to get into in all of America. I must say that this was probably the best meal that I have ever eaten in my life. Certainly, it was a very memorable occasion and the food, the wine, the ambiance, the atmosphere and the service were all amazing. Also, while in the wine country, we stopped by the Stags Leap Vineyard. I was able to taste and buy a few bottles of the CASK 23 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was great to see the vineyard close to sunset, and we look forward to enjoying the CASK 23 Cabernet for several years to come. It was also awesome to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Half-Moon Bay while we were there, and we watched Stanford beat UC Berkeley at Stanford Stadium.
My single most memorable vacation was a cruise sponsored by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. This cruise was on the 60th anniversary of D-Day in June 2004. I also enjoyed the privilege of touring the battlegrounds in both the German and American cemeteries at Normandy. Several world leaders including President George Bush spoke to commemorate the event.
In the future, I plan to take my family to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and do some deep sea fishing. Hopefully, we can catch a tuna that is bigger than one or two of my children.
Once the political climate becomes a little more stable in Europe, I also hope to take my family to see the Louvre and Eiffel Tower in Paris. While we are there, we hope to take a boat ride in Seine River, and go to the top of the Arc De Triomphe. Maybe, we can see Euro Disney while we are there too.