Graduate II: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: What’s good for the Sun Devil goose is good for the Wildcat gander? Following up on the success of its Tempe location, Graduate Hotels is opening a 14-story, 164-room location in Tucson, banking that its service model – collegiate décor, locally focused cuisine – will find admirers in the University of Arizona area, too. The hotel will enroll its first guests in fall 2020. graduatehotels.com
Coastal ’Cue: A sure sign that Big Sur, California – deluged by rainouts and mudslides several years ago – is on the mend? It now has its own barbecue joint. Set in a barn-red 1800s homestead, Big Sur Smokehouse opened July 4 and offers barbecue both extra-regional (brisket, pulled pork) and Californian (tri tip, smoked vegetables). An intriguing pit stop if you’re driving PCH this summer. bigsursmokehouse.com
Fat “Lip”: If cuisine is the surest route of understanding a culture, an outfit called Lip Smacking Foodie Tours is offering travelers pure enlightenment. The food-focused group tour firm recently added Seattle’s buzzy Capitol Hill area to its roster. lipsmackingfoodtours.com
